New Releases by Dori Hillestad Butler

When strange noises are heard in the tree house where their club meets, Claire and Kaz wonder if a rival club is causing problems in order to scare them away, or if they are coming from the ghosts of one of Kaz''s departed ancestors.

Kaz and Claire must try to figure out if their new client Eli really has a ghost in his house, or if Eli is just pulling pranks himself.

With a lot of searching and a lot of luck, Kaz has found his dog Cosmo, his little brother Little John, his grandmom, and his grandpops. But what about his parents? Or his big brother Finn? Will he ever see them again? Kaz wants to keep looking for his family, but when Claire hears about a ghost at the fire station, Kaz knows it’s a case for C & K Ghost Detectives!

Now that Kaz can finally pass through walls without feeling all “skizzy,” he can go explore Beckett’s secret room at the back of the library. What he finds there is a mystery he never expected!

Kaz and Claire are back for a timely mystery in this adorable series by Edgar Award winner Dori Hillestad Butler! Kaz and Claire are called in for another ghostly mystery, and this ghost is always right on time. When Claire''s friend tells the young detectives about his five o''clock ghost, Kaz wonders if it could be his own missing brother, Little John. Kaz and Claire search the house up and down, but they can''t find any trace of Little John--or any other ghost. Yet when five o''clock comes along, the strange occurrences come back again...

"Now that Kaz can finally pass through walls, he is excited to explore Beckett''s secret room at the back of the library. In it he finds an envelope, some empty soda bottles, and a ghostly doll. Are any of these things connected? Kaz wants to return the doll to the ghost it belonged to, but that may be harder than he thinks." - back cover.

Molly finds a way to give new life to old crayons.

Kaz and Claire’s new detective agency is a success! Their latest case, though, is proving to be the hardest yet. When Claire’s classmate says he saw a ghost backstage while rehearsing the school play, Kaz goes to school with Claire to investigate. From the description the boy gave, Kaz is sure it’s his mom—but where has she gone? Kaz and Claire search everywhere and find no trace of her, but the mysterious ghostly activities are still happening…

A brand-new young chapter book series from Edgar Award winner Dori Hillestad Butler! After successfully solving the mystery of the ghost in the library, Kaz and Claire land the first case for their detective agency—a haunted attic in a neighbor’s home! With a little help from Grannie, Kaz and Claire discover that what appeared to be something spooky has a much simpler explanation.

A brand-new young chapter book series from Edgar Award winner Dori Hillestad Butler! When ghost boy Kaz’s haunt is torn down and he is separated from his ghost family, he meets a real girl named Claire, who lives above the town library with her parents and her grandmother. Claire has a special ability to see ghosts when other humans cannot and she and Kaz quickly form a friendship. The two join forces to solve the mystery of the ghost that’s haunting the library. Could it be one of Kaz’s lost family members?

Landing a first official case after solving the mystery of the library ghost, Kaz and Claire investigate a neighbor''s attic to see if they can discover an explanation for its seemingly spooky qualities. By the award-winning author of Trading Places With Tank Talbott. Simultaneous and eBook.

Landing a first official case after solving the mystery of the library ghost, Kaz and Claire investigate a neighbor''s attic to see if they can discover an explanation for its seemingly spooky qualities.

There have always been rumors of a ghost at Four Lakes Elementary. On the night of the fourth grade sleepover, Mr. Poe, the custodian, tells the story of Agatha, the girl who haunts the school. Then secret notes, unusual banging, and a ghostly voice invade the sleepover. Buddy is determined to find out if there really is a ghost.

"My Name is Buddy. I am a dog. I am also a detective." Buddy is in the school library and kids are taking turns reading with him. While Buddy listens to a ghost story, he hears rustling in the shelves behind him. He turns to look, but doesn''t see anyone back there. He hears a book fall. Something smells strange. Not human...not canine, not like anything Buddy has ever smelled before. Could it maybe be the school ghost Buddy has heard so much about? When the child he''s sitting with leaves, Buddy goes over to the shelves to investigate...and comes face to face with a mysterious creature that has a long, blue tongue. Buddy fans will cheer as their favorite dog detective solves another case with own great doggy style.

Buddy wants to solve the mystery of where his old family went while trying to find out where his new owner has disappeared to.

"My name is King. I am a dog. I am also a detective." King has a very big mystery to solve. His family is missing, and he''s been put in the P-O-U-N-D. Why doesn''t his beloved human (Kayla) come to get him? When King is adopted by Connor and his mom, things get more confusing. The new family calls him Buddy! And just as Connor and Buddy start to get acquainted, Connor disappears! Buddy (aka King) has big problems to solve, but with some help from his friend Mouse (a very large dog) and the mysterious cat with no name, he shows what a smart, brave dog can do. Mystery fans and dog lovers will be swept up in Dori Hillestad Butler''s funny, satisfying story... and left eager for Buddy''s next adventure.

Buddy was adopted from the P-O-U-N-D and he likes his new family, but he''s still searching for Kayla-his first family. What has happened to them? He hopes to solve that mystery soon, but right now he''s got another urgent case-two dogs, Muffin and Jazzy, have been switched! How can Buddy get poor Muffin and Jazzy back to their real owners?

Buddy was adopted from the P-O-U-N-D and he likes his new family, but he''s still searching for Kayla-his first family. What has happened to them? He hopes to solve that mystery soon, but right now he''s got another urgent case-two dogs, Muffin and Jazzy, have been switched! How can Buddy get poor Muffin and Jazzy back to their real owners?

Buddy has settled with his adopted family, but he''s never given up on finding his beloved human, Kayla, and his first family. One night he sees men taking things out of Kayla''s old house and loading them into a van. What''s up? Though his friend Mouse advises against it, in the middle of the night Buddy decides to make a daring move, leaving everything he knows behind. Dori Butler''s third case in The Buddy Files will entertain and satisfy the many fans of this brave, funny, and loyal dog.

"My name is King. I am a dog. I am also a detective. King has a very big mystery to solve. His family is missing, and he''s been put in the P-O-U-N-D. Why doesn''t his beloved human (Kayla) come to get him? When King is adopted by Connor and his mom, things get more confusing. The new family calls him Buddy! And just as Connor and Buddy start to get acquainted, Connor disappears! Buddy (aka King) has big problems to solve, but with some help from his friend Mouse (a very large dog) and the mysterious cat with no name, he shows what a smart, brave dog can do. Mystery fans and dog lovers will be swept up in Dori Hillestad Butler''s funny, satisfying story...and left eager for Buddy''s next adventure.

This alphabetical police primer kicks off with A is for academy and ends with Z is for zoom lens. In between, children learn the basics of police work including when the first force began, the equipment used on the job, and some of the different careers in law enforcement. Full color.

2012-2013 Iowa Teen Award Master List They just wanted to tell the truth. When Zebby and Amr create the website thetruthabouttruman.com, they want it to be honest. They want it to be about the real Truman Middle School, to say things that the school newspaper would never say, and to give everyone a chance to say what they want to say, too. But given the chance, some people will say anything—anything to hurt someone else. And when rumors about one popular student escalate to cruel new levels, it''s clear the truth about Truman School is more harrowing than anyone ever imagined.

Describes the history and meaning of Christmas and how it is celebrated today.

After Ryan''s grandfather has a stroke, their close relationship has to change. With the help of his parents, rehabilitation professionals, and Grandpa himself, Ryan learns what a stroke is and the stroke''s effect on his grandfather, now and in the future. He also experiences a full range of emotions, including fear, avoidance, disappointment, anger, confusion, and denial. Eventually, he accepts his disabled grandfather coming to live with the family with a positive and helpful attitude.

Introduces readers to the equipment firefighters use and the jobs that they do.

This gently humorous book traces the development of a baby from conception to birth, as seen through the eyes of an older sister.

Girls can''t play baseball at Hoover Middle School, but Joelle is determined to find a way to play the game she loves. It''s not fair! Thirteen-year-old Joelle Cunningham is passionate about baseball. When her family moves to the small town of Greendale, Iowa, she quickly discovers that there are strict rules preventing her from playing on the school team. At Hoover Middle School, only boys play baseball. Girls play softball. Joelle tries to tell everyone they''re not the same sport. But no one is listening. Not Coach Carlyle who doesn''t want her on his team, even though they''re at the bottom of the league. Not Ms. Fenner, the softball coach who wants Joelle to use her big-league swing on the girls'' softball team. Not even Jason, her older brother, who is too busy at college to be of much help. Through some creative problem-solving and surprising alliances, Joelle finds a solution to her dilemma that brings the disputing sides together...and baseball to the girls of Greendale. Author Dori Hillestad Butler has created a high-spirited, indomitable character that readers will admire and root for in this story of frustrated ambition and ultimate triumph.

When Samantha was three, her twin sister died, her parents divorced, and her father left. Sam''s life has never been the same. Now that she''s thirteen, Sam can''t stop wondering about her past. Why hasn''t her father tried to contact her all these years? How could he have allowed Sarah to drown? And how can her mother expect her to accept some man she hardly knows as her new father? Samantha already has a father out there. Somewhere. A fateful decision sets into motion a chain of events and confrontations that will change Samantha''s and her family''s lives forever. As she sets out to find her father and discover what really happened the day her sister drowned, she uncovers painful secrets that threaten to destroy her family all over again. Dori Hillestad Butler''s sensitive story draws readers into a suspenseful mystery about a flawed but loving family trying to heal.

Elizabeth''s mom is having a baby, and the whole family is involved. Elizabeth learns all about the baby''s development, and she traces his growth, month by month. She learns how the baby got inside Mom, too.