Most Popular Books by Dan Gutman

A fun, funny, and informative guide to the weird world of American politics How does the president get his job? How do people know who will win an election before everybody’s voted? Do the candidates hate each other? Dan Gutman takes on his strangest subject ever: the American political system. Reaching through history from the days of the founding fathers to today’s voting system, Gutman tackles complex subjects in a clear, easy-to-understand way. Even grown-ups will find something in here that they’ve never learned before. Politics are a crazy game, and with Dan Gutman teaching you the rules, you’re going to have a blast learning how to play.

The most exciting road trip in history begins! In this action-packed, New York Times bestselling adventure, twelve-year-old twins Coke and Pepsi McDonald embark on a family vacation you''ll have to read to believe. Coke McDonald and his twin sister, Pepsi, think their family’s cross-country RV vacation is nothing to get excited about...until they’re chased off a cliff, locked in a burning school, and receive mysterious messages in codes and ciphers. From California to Wisconsin, it’s a race against time to find out who’s after Coke and Pep, who’s leaving the notes...and just what being a part of The Genius Files entails! With the real-kid humor that has earned Dan Gutman millions of fans around the world, and featuring weird-but-true American tourist destinations, The Genius Files is a one-of-a-kind mix of geography and fun. As Coke and Pep dodge nefarious villains from the Pez museum in California all the way to the Infinity Room in Wisconsin, black-and-white photographs and maps put young readers right into the action. And don''t miss the next leg of the journey in The Genius Files: Never Say Genius!

From the author of the My Weird School books, an adventure story that spans centuries and continents. In Central Park, New York, stands Cleopatra’s Needle. But what do you know about? Did you know that thousands of people worked in 1461 BCE to build it? Then hundreds more moved it, and erected it in Alexandria, where it stood for 3,000 years? So how did a monolith weighing over 200 tons get moved all the way to New York City—and in the 19th Century, no less? In this historical fiction account by bestselling author Dan Gutman, five kids who watched the Needle at each phase of its history recount the daring story of how something that seemed to be impossible –and that nearly ended in disaster—finally succeeded against all odds. Including photos, diagrams, and illustrations, this book will leave history lovers and fans of problem solving astounded at all that was accomplished. And best of all, it will leave middle grade readers feeling they’ve just watched a really good movie—they’ll hardly even realize they were reading. A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Think fast with A.J. and Andrea from My Weird School! Did you know that Antarctica’s largest land animal is an insect? Did you know that the smallest country in the world is only 0.2 square miles?! Learn more weird-but-true geography facts with A.J. and Andrea from Dan Gutman’s bestselling My Weird School series. This fun series of nonfiction books features hundreds of hysterical facts, plus lots of photos and illustrations. Whether you’re a kid who wants to learn more about geography or simply someone who wants to know if there’s really a town called Scratch Ankle, this is the book for you! With more than 30 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading!

Principal Klutz hung upside down from the flagpole! He kissed a pig on the lips and painted his bald head orange! Now he wants to bungee jump off the roof of the school dressed as Santa Claus

It''s a bird, It''s a plane--no, It''s Johnny Hangtime! Jumping off the Empire State Building, fighting on the wing of a biplane, and parachuting onto the back of a horse are all in a day''s work for 13-year-old Johnny Thyme, a stunt kid known in the movie business as Johnny Hangtime. But Johnny''s phenomenal feats are a movie industry secret. Ricky Corvette, the superstar teen for whom Johnny doubles, wants his fans to think he does his own stunts. Johnny''s devoted to repeating the career of his legendary stuntman father, but what''s he going to do when his favorite director asks him to perform the super-dangerous stunt that killed his father? Will following in his daredevil; dad''s footsteps take him over the edge?

Graphic novel fans, prepare yourselves for a trip you won’t soon forget! New York Times bestselling author Dan Gutman and veteran illustrator Jim Paillot have brought you a second zany My Weird School graphic novel! A.J. and his friends have the chance to win a trip to Dizzyland—if they can finish 5,000 books first. Dr. Carbles, the evil president of the Board of Education, doesn’t think they can do it. But the Ella Mentry School kids are nothing if not determined! Will they achieve their theme park dreams? Or does Dr. Carbles have other plans for the school? Full of visual gags, fun pop culture references, and hilarious full-color illustrations, this is the weirdest graphic novel in the history of the world! With more than 30 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading!

Meet Rappy the Raptor, a velociraptor who speaks in rhymes all of the time, whether it''s morning or noon, October or June. Now, how did it happen that he started rappin''? Well, here''s Rappy''s story in all its glory! New York Times bestselling author Dan Gutman and New York Times bestselling artist Tim Bowers team up for a funny, warm story that is sure to have readers snapping their fingers and tapping their toes! Parents and kids alike will love bopping along as Rappy learns to embrace his unusual way of speaking in this upbeat picture book with a dino-size beat.

Eleven-year-old Eddie gets a chance to win a million dollars by sinking a foul shot at the National Basketball Association finals.

Ms. LaGrange talks funny, and she''s from some other country called France. She thinks the vomitorium is a fancy restaurant. Plus she''s writing secret messages in the mashed potatoes. Ms. LaGrange is the weirdest lunch lady in the history of the world.

In New York Times bestselling author Dan Gutman’s thrilling Flashback Four series, four very different kids are picked by a mysterious billionaire to travel through time and photograph some of history''s most important events. Blends fascinating real history with an action-packed adventure! This time, Luke, Julia, David, and Isabel are headed to the deck of the doomed Titanic. Their mission? Capture a shot of the sinking ship, then come right back. The only problem is, once they arrive aboard the ship, the four friends can’t agree on what to do next. Should they try to save the passengers? Or maybe bring back a priceless book before it sinks with the ship? With real historical photographs to put young readers right in the action, plus back matter that separates fact from fiction, The Titanic Mission tells the story of the ship’s fateful last voyage like you’ve never seen it before.

It’s the last day of school before Christmas vacation and Alex, Chase, and the rest of Mrs. Walter’s fifth-grade class couldn’t wish more for the final bell to ring. But the day takes a crazy turn when a mysterious meteorite crashes through the classroom window—and a genie pops out! Bob, as he’s called, is willing to grant only one wish for the class to share, and if they can’t agree on something before the bell rings in an hour, they’ll get nothing at all. What follows is a debate that is at turns thought-provoking and hilarious—and at all times irresistible.

Annoyed at having to help the librarian move some books for the book fair, young Trip is catapulted into a world in which he lives out different book genres--a place where everything seems wrong but also just a little bit familiar.

With more than 34 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading! Ella Mentry School has been taken over by a prank-palooza in this holiday-themed My Weird School Special from New York Times bestselling author Dan Gutman and veteran illustrator Jim Paillot. A.J. and the gang are tired of Miss Banks and her constant pranks. They decide to get her back and, afterward, the principal, Mrs. Stoker, suggests a weeklong prank competition between the students and the teachers. If the kids manage to pull off a win, they’ll get a candy party! And so begins the most epic prank war that Ella Mentry School has ever seen! But can the kids outprank their teachers before the week is up? With Dan Gutman’s signature kid-friendly sense of humor and Jim Paillot’s fun illustrations, this is one weird April Fools’ Day special you won’t want to miss—featuring bonus trivia, games, puzzles, and more!

How did Kerri Strug go from Olympic hopeful to Olympic champion? How does Dominique Moceanu spend a typical day? This thorough, fun-to-read book answers those questions and many more. You''ll learn the ins and outs of the equipment and events, find out how scoring is done, read about the history of the sport, and lots more! Dan Gutman''s insider look at gymnastics has been fully updated to include the 1996 Olympics and is sure to enthrall aspiring gymnasts and devoted fans alike. "A glossary, a chronology, and an entertaining chapter of gymnastics trivia round out this easily read, timely overview of a popular sport."—Booklist Dan Gutman is the author of many books for children, including Ice Skating, Taking Flight: My Story by Vicky Van Meter, and World Series Classics. He lives in Haddonfield, New Jersey.

A.J. and his friends are going on a field trip to NASA headquarters. But their tour guide, Mr. Corbett, is a total space cadet. What happens when A.J. accidentally launches the whole class into outer space? This is going to be one of the weirdest graphic novels in the history of the world.

With more than 12 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading! Summer is almost over, and you know what that means—time to head back to school! But when a tropical storm ends A.J.''s vacation earlier than expected, he and his family have to stay at Andrea''s house. Ugh, disgusting! Soon after, everyone in the house starts getting cabin fever, and even back-to-school shopping won''t calm the kids down. So, Andrea and A.J. are sent to Camp Ockatollyquay. The catch? It''s a camp to get kids ready for school! But not to worry—Andrea and A.J. rally their Ella Mentry School friends to end their summer on a note they''ll never forget. Join A.J. and the gang from My Weird School in this special series of after-school, holiday-themed chapter books featuring hilarious stories and thirty-two pages of games, puzzles, and more. This is one weird back-to-school special you won''t want to miss!

The funniest alien in the universe lands on the galaxy’s weirdest planet: Earth On the planet Crouton, kids never have to straighten their rooms or make their own beds. That’s because their rooms aren’t crooked, and when they need beds, they just buy them. It’s a pretty neat place. But when Funny Boy—a Croutonian smart-aleck with the galaxy’s best sense of humor—shoots his brother with a spitball, his parents strap him into a spaceship and blast him to Earth. Things get strange from the minute his spaceship crash-lands in the underwear factory. A planet-gobbling alien is about to attack his new home, and Funny Boy doesn’t have any weapons besides a talking dog and a razor-sharp wit. But there is good news: Something about Earth’s atmosphere has made Funny Boy even funnier. His job is to crack the jokes, but he needs somebody to turn the pages. So get to it! Earth won’t save itself! This ebook features an illustrated biography of Dan Gutman including rare images from the author’s personal collection. Funny Boy Meets the Airsick Alien from Andromeda is the 1st book in Funny Boy, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

Sample five chapter books from four awesome authors, and you''ll surely want to read more! Meet the weirdest zookeeper in history in My Weirder School #1: Miss Child Has Gone Wild! by Dan Gutman; discover how Flat Stanley deals with being flattened (again) in Stanley, Flat Again! by Jeff Brown; solve neighborhood mysteries with a seriously funny fourth grader in Joe Sherlock, Kid Detective, Case #000001: The Haunted Toolshed by Dave Keane; attend the longest graduation in Ella Mentry School history in My Weird School Daze #1: Mrs. Dole Is Out of Control! by Dan Gutman; and join everyone''s favorite fancy girl in her chapter book series debut, Fancy Nancy: Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth by Jane O''Connor.

After accidentally sucking Benjamin Franklin into twenty-first-century New Jersey with his Anytime Anywhere machine, thirteen-year-old Qwerty Stevens and his best friend almost wind up stuck in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776 when they try to send him back.

Best friends Ouchie and Squishy, who love bowling and horror movies respectively, meet the eccentric owner of a local bowling alley and try to help him save Bowl-A-Rama from the wrecking ball and a destructive psychotic lunatic.

Like every other kid in his class, Joe Stoscack has to write a report on an African American who''s made an important contribution to society. Unlike every other kid in his class, Joe has a special talent: with the help of old baseball cards, he can travel through time. So for his report, Joe decides to go back to meet one of the greatest baseball players ever, Jackie Robinson, to find out what it was like to be the man who broke baseball''s color barrier. Joe plans on writing a prize-winning report. But he doesn''t plan on a trip that will for a short time change the color of his skin--and forever change his view of history and his definition of courage.Joe Stoshack has really done it this time. When a pitcher insults his Polish heritage, Joe flings his bat and prompts an on-field brawl that ends in a two-team pileup. he''s suspended from Little League...indefinitely. At school, his teacher assigns an oral report for Black History Month. The topic? An African-American who has made a significant contribution to American society. The prize for the best report is four tickets to a cool local amusement park. But Joe doesn''t know where to begin. If he could just get his hands on a certain Jackie Robinson baseball card...

Baseball Card Adventure series.

With more than 32 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading! In this second book of the My Weirdtastic School arc, join A.J. and friends as they become part of the studio audience for a TV show whose host can’t seem to grow up! A.J. and the gang have been invited to attend a live taping of Uncle Fred’s Funderama, a hilarious Saturday morning kids TV show full of music, games, puppets and more. Uncle Fred sings, dances, and jokes his way into his audience’s hearts. But what will the kids do when they learn that Uncle Fred’s childlike behavior isn’t just an act? Can Uncle Fred grow up? Perfect for reluctant readers and all kids hungry for funny school stories, Dan Gutman’s hugely popular My Weird School chapter book series has something for everyone. Don’t miss the hilarious adventures of A.J. and his friends!

With more than 30 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading! For this final installment of the My Weirder-est School arc, it’s time to break out the caps and gowns! A.J. and his friends are graduating from third grade. Eeeeek! The kids have the chance to choose a guest speaker for the ceremony, and their minds are all set on one person: the most popular singer and rapper in the world, Lil Mouse! Will they be able to get their favorite celebrity and have the greatest graduation in the history of graduations? Perfect for reluctant readers and all kids hungry for funny school stories, Dan Gutman’s hugely popular My Weird School chapter book series has something for everyone. Don’t miss the hilarious adventures of A.J. and the gang!

With more than 30 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading! In this seventh book in the My Weirder-est School series, A.J. and his friends learn some very weird ways to prepare for a difficult test. Test scores are low and stress levels are high at Ella Mentry School. Wellness expert Ms. Jo-Jo has come to help A.J. and his friends relax so they can ace the upcoming Fundamental Arithmetic/Reading Test. But can turtle yoga and crystal salt lamps really help A.J. and his friends relax and focus? Or will the F.A.R.T. end up blowing them all away? Perfect for reluctant readers and all kids hungry for funny school stories, Dan Gutman’s hugely popular My Weird School chapter book series has something for everyone. Don’t miss the hilarious adventures of A.J. and the gang!

With more than 30 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading! In this tenth book in the new My Weirdest School series, Sprinkles Newman, the local TV meteorologist, is coming to Ella Mentry School! She’s going to teach A.J. and the gang all about the weather. But what happens when a real live (well, not live) hurricane comes to the school? Hold on to your umbrellas! Perfect for reluctant readers and word lovers alike, Dan Gutman’s hugely popular My Weird School chapter book series has something for everyone. Don’t miss the hilarious adventures of A.J. and the gang!

Forget Thanksgiving. The biggest turkey of all is running around Ella Mentry School--Dr. Carbles, the president of the school board. He is grumpier than ever and wants to fire Mr. Klutz. Will A.J. and his friends be able to save their principals job? Illustrations.

Thirteen-year-old Robert "Qwerty" Stevens uses the time machine he finds in his back yard to visit Thomas Edison''s workshop in 1879, and there helps develop the electric light bulb, but then needs his sister''s help to return to his own time.

With more than 30 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading! In this eleventh book in the My Weirdest School series, local ice-cream man Mr. Will is bringing delicious treats to Ella Mentry School! But Dr. Carbles has banned desserts forever and will stop at nothing to ensure that no one breaks the rules. Will A.J. and the gang ever get to enjoy the sweet taste of a push-up pop again?! Perfect for reluctant readers and all kids hungry for funny school stories, Dan Gutman’s hugely popular My Weird School chapter book series has something for everyone. Don’t miss the hilarious adventures of A.J. and the gang!

Graphic novel fans, it’s time to visit the Big Apple with A.J. and friends! New York Times bestselling author Dan Gutman and veteran illustrator Jim Paillot have brought you a third zany My Weird School graphic novel! A.J. and his friends are visiting New York City! They’re hitting all the classic tourist stops—Times Square, Radio City Music Hall, the Met, and more. Their tour guide, Mrs. Mentry, is determined to show the kids all her favorite spots. But will A.J. and the gang be able to fend for themselves after they’re separated from their chaperone? Full of visual gags, hilarious pop culture references, fun facts about New York, and transportive full-color illustrations, this is the weirdest graphic novel in the history of the world! With more than 32 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading!

“History can be hilarious, at least in the hands of author Dan Gutman.” —Washington Post In New York Times bestselling author Dan Gutman''s all-new series, which blends fascinating real history with an action-packed and hilarious adventure, four very different kids are picked by a mysterious billionaire to travel through time and photograph some of history''s most important events. This time, the four friends are headed to 1863 to catch Abraham Lincoln delivering his famous Gettysburg Address. They''ll have to work together to ask the right questions, meet the right people, and capture the right moment. And most important—not get caught! Back matter separating fact from fiction and real black-and-white photographs throughout make Flashback Four the perfect mix of true history and uproarious fun. Young readers will love reading the hilarious story, while still learning about a crucial moment in American history. Perfect for fans of the bestselling Genius Files series, and the Baseball Card Adventure series.

From the best-selling author of My Weird School: a new entry in the cheerful and engaging biography series centered on high-interest historic figures. Did you know that John Lennon’s mom called him “Stinker” because he farted so much? Or that Paul McCartney liked playing guitar in the bathroom? Bet you didn’t know that George Harrison once had his friend’s parent sign his report card, or that Ringo Starr’s grandma thought he was possessed by witches! Paige and Turner have collected some of the most unusual and surprising facts about the rock stars, from their childhoods and early days as musicians to the formation of the Beatles and their rise to become the greatest band of all time. Narrated by the two spirited siblings and animated by Allison Steinfeld’s upbeat illustrations, Wait! What? The Beatles Couldn’t Read Music? is an authoritative, accessible, and one-of-a-kind biography infused with Dan Gutman’s signature zany sense of humor.

Never before has school been this mixed up—or this much fun! Miss Daisy, who teaches second grade, doesn''t know how to add or subtract. Not only that, she doesn''t know how to read or write, either. She is the dumbest teacher in the history of the world!

Joey, who loves baseball but is not very good at it, finds a valuable 1909 Honus Wagner card and travels back in time to meet Honus.

The school nurse, Mrs. Cooney, is drop-dead gorgeous--and may be hiding a secret identity. How are A.J. and his friends supposed to learn anything with these insane adults around their school? Illustrations.

Mr. Macky dresses up as Abraham Lincoln to get the students at Ella Mentry School excited about their Presidents'' Day oral reports.

The Spanish teacher, Miss Holly, is hanging mistletoe everywhere! That means boys will have to kiss girls. And girls will have to kiss boys. Ugh!