New Releases by Daniel Pinkwater

Internationally-bestselling author Daniel Pinkwater (The Big Orange Splot) brings his zany wit and wisdom to the magical adventures of a clever girl and her brave dog. Told with warmth and wit, this is a delightful exploration of growing up, the power of family, and how sometimes the best things in life happen when you least expect them. "Daniel Pinkwater is so obviously the funniest writer of children''s books that he should be made a Living National Treasure." --Washington Post Book World Jules McShultz was promised a dog. Supposedly, she''d get one once her family moved from the city to the suburbs. But then her parents decided it still wasn''t the right time. So Jules does what any intelligent girl would do. Instead of sulking, she enters an essay contest and wins first prize: A purebred Collie. And no one--not even Jules'' parents--can resist Penny, who is clearly Jules''s perfect new canine pal. Jules and Penny are ready to spend the summer exploring the woods by the house. But the woods are not at all what they seem to be. Magic and adventure await them just on the other side of an old stone wall.

Kat Hats is a wild picture book starring a world-renowned cat, his trainer, and a cast of quirky characters from award-winning creators Daniel Pinkwater and Aaron Renier. Thermal Herman 6-7/8 is the top Kat Hat in Matt Katz’s company. A trained cat who is able to form himself into specialty hats, Thermal Herman is world-renowned for his warmth and agility. When a friend wanders off with a brain freeze and finds themself in peril, Thermal Herman must rush in to save the day in this zany and cleverly illustrated picture book, sure to make young readers giggle with every page. “With jolly maximalism and Shrinky Dinks shadings, this is a book that invites children to take off their thinking caps, relax, and revel in pure silliness.” —New York Times

This witty picture book from children’s luminary Daniel Pinkwater and Aaron Renier offers an insider’s look that will make you completely abandon everything you thought you knew about vampires! Welcome to the village of Blinsh, Pinksylvania, famous for the many vampires that call it home. With a caring look at this town not so different from our own, we hope the reader will get to know more about vampires and see that they are not so different from you or I. It is true, a certain amount of biting happens, but a nip on the neck may just be a vampire’s way of saying, “Hello, let’s be friends.”

These four different stories — collected for the very first time — abound in hilarious situations and characters. Includes Wingman, Fat Men from Space, The Magic Goose and The Muffin Fiend.

A wild new adventure from the author of The Yggyssey—“Pinkwater may be my single most favorite writer in the entire world” (Cory Doctorow). Big Audrey is a girl . . . with cat’s whiskers . . . and sort of cat’s eyes. But is there another cat-whiskered, sort of cat-eyed girl? Big Audrey waves goodbye to her friends Iggy, Neddie, Seamus, and Crazy Wig, in Los Angeles—and hitches a ride with bongo-playing-while-driving Marlon Brando across the country to Poughkeepsie, New York, city of mystery. She finds she has questions needing answers—and a bit of inter-plane-of-existence traveling to do. Readers who love the strange, the offbeat, and the just plain kooky will want to tag along with Big Audrey and her telepathic friend, Molly, on this “vastly entertaining” (Kirkus Reviews) road trip, as they try to solve the mystery of the cat-whiskered doppelganger . . . “Every character they encounter is crazier than the next—a 114-year-old woman named Chicken Nancy; a Catskill Mountain Giant; members of a secret brotherhood from an alternate Poughkeepsie—and every chance encounter leads them to another zany adventure. Mixing the absurd with the profound, Pinkwater’s odd narration will have even the most serious readers laughing at the chaos.” —Booklist

Collected for the first time, four funny and imaginative tales for kids by an acclaimed storyteller include Looking for Bobowicz (A Hoboken Chicken Story),The Magic Moscow, Attila the Pun, and Jolly Roger, A Dog of Hoboken.

In a wonderfully loopy third episode, Nick and Maxine are surprised to meet Captain Noodlekugel, back from the sea with a somewhat untrainable bear. When their father decides to compete to be speed-knitting champion of the world, Nick and Maxine are happy to stay with their babysitter, Mrs. Noodlekugel, along with her talking cats and four mice who wear glasses. What they don’t expect is a dripping-wet, whiskered man in the kitchen the next morning! Captain Noodlekugel has left his seafaring life to train animals for the circus, and he’s even brought with him a hefty bear named Drooly for practice. But whenever he tries to teach Drooly to dance, the bear wobbles and falls asleep on the tulips. When Drooly goes missing, the siblings must try to figure out where a big clumsy bear might go!

When a poor kitten is found wandering lost in the streets of Brooklyn, it''s Yetta the Yiddish chicken to the rescue.

Four farsighted mice get glasses — and a talking cat solves a family mystery — as the charmingly eccentric Mrs. Noodlekugel returns. When Mrs. Noodlekugel’s four mice make a terrible mess with cookie crumbs at tea, she decides to take them on the bus to visit the eye doctor — and invites Nick and Maxine to come along! The mice ride on Mrs. Noodlekugel’s hat, while Mr. Fuzzface, her talking cat, has the indignity of riding in a carrier. Afterward, the hungry crew head to Dirty Sally’s Lunchroom, but the mice overdo their cheesecake and run out the door. Luckily a policeman is at the ready to help with the search — as is a rough-edged, yarn-spinning alley cat with a surprising connection to Mr. Fuzzface! It’s all a day in the life of Daniel Pinkwater’s whimsical characters, in a chapter-book series whose comical tone and cozy illustrations are sure to keep young readers coming back for more.

Could the bear have a secret friend? Who is leaving him surprises? The ever-lovable Daniel Pinkwater spins a funny and sweetly offbeat story. Features an audio read-along performed by the author! One morning, the bear finds something just outside his cave. It is orange and long and pointy and has bushy green leaves at one end. And it’s sweet and crunchy! Where did it come from? Did someone leave it for him? Then there are two more of the sweet crunchy things the next morning! The bear knows that someone nice is leaving him these treats. If only he could discover who it is! Should he leave something tasty in return? With the help of Will Hillenbrand’s endearing illustrations, the inimitable Daniel Pinkwater spins a charming little mystery about unexpected kindnesses and finding that extra-special someone.

With signature wit and whimsy, the inimitable Daniel Pinkwater introduces an eccentric, endearing babysitter every child will wish they could have. Nick and Maxine live in a tall building with one apartment on top of another. So when they look out their window and see a little house they never knew was there, of course they must visit (especially when their parents tell them not to!). Going through the boiler room, they’re amazed to find to a secret backyard with a garden, a porch, and a statue of a cat. And they’re even more amazed when that cat starts to talk. . . . Welcome to the world of Mrs. Noodlekugel, where felines converse and serve cookies and tea, vision-impaired mice join the party (but may put crumbs up their noses), and children in search of funny adventures are drawn by the warm smell of gingerbread and the promise of magical surprises.

An ALA Notable Book Kids ages 9-12 will “delight in [the] oddness” of this Home Alone-style tale set in the 1970s—from a prolific children’s author who captures “a magic that’s not like anyone else’s” (Neil Gaiman). With Victor’s parents out of town, he is free to investigate the mysterious lizard musicians who have recently appeared on TV . . . Things Victor loves: pizza with anchovies, grape soda, B movies aired at midnight, the evening news. And with his parents off at a resort and his older sister shirking her babysitting duties, Victor has plenty of time to indulge himself and to try a few things he’s been curious about. Exploring the nearby city of Hogboro, he runs into a curious character known as the Chicken Man (a reference to his companion, an intelligent hen named Claudia who lives under his hat). The Chicken Man speaks brilliant nonsense, but he seems to be hip to the lizard musicians (real lizards, not men in lizard suits) who’ve begun appearing on Victor’s television after the broadcast of the late-late movie. Are the lizards from outer space? From “other space”? Together Victor and the Chicken Man, guided by the able Claudia, journey to the lizards’ floating island, a strange and fantastic place that operates with an inspired logic of its own.

Jacob is the boy. Max is the dog. Until they decide to change places. Now Jacob gets to eat kibble, chase squirrels, and snooze, just like a real dog. Max brushes his teeth, goes to school, and plays video games, just like a real boy. The question is: Who has the better deal? Story maestro Daniel Pinkwater collaborates once again with the gifted illustrator Jack E. Davis for a boy-and-dog escapade that''s sure to set tails a-wagging.

Inspired by real events, this story told in English, Spanish, and Yiddish is a witty, warm, and beautiful tale about an escaped chicken who finds adventure and love in Brooklyn. Full color.

Arthur goes to pick up the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner but comes back with a 260-pound chicken.

Mush, a dog from the planet Growf-Woof-Woof, relates how she came to be on Earth, and how she and three other animals formed a jazz ensemble that foiled a band of ice cream parlor robbers.

Just when you thought it was safe... Here comes Dorkula. Who is he and what does he want? Is this the vampire of ancient legend and bad late-night movies? Being in the Werewolf Club has never been so much fun! Just ask Ralf Alfa, Billy Furball, Lucy Fang, and Norman Gnormal. Follow their funny exploits as they wend their way through this spine-tingling tale of werewolves, vampires, and inspired lunacy.

The Watson Elementary School Werewolf Club goes on a field trip to Basketball Hall, where Sir Hugo hopes they will solve the mystery of the hound which has plagued his family for generations.

Where is one place you don''t want to go alone? Remember Werewolf Club members Ralf Alfa, Billy Furball, Lucy Fang, and Norman Gnormal? Well, they are back. Now they wreak havoc on a local restaurant they call "The Lunchroom of Doom." Tomato catsup squirts. Paper straws fly. Laughts and weird things abund. Don''t miss this gripping story of the supernatural.

Four-fantastic-books-in-one by the popular author of The Hoboken Chicken Emergency: Borgel Yobgorgle The Worms of Kukumlima The Snarkout Boys & the Baconburg Horror

A collection of seventy-two short humor pieces with commentaries.

When second grader Lawrence Talbot turns into a werewolf, his parents, teachers, and friends don''t believe him.