New Releases by James Preller

Second-grade detectives Jigsaw, Mila, and their friends follow clues after Bigs Maloney''s sneakers are stolen just before a boys versus girls football challenge.

Will has no choice. His father drags him along on a wilderness adventure in the footsteps of legendary explorers Lewis and Clark--whether he likes it or not. All the while, Will senses that something about this trip isn''t quite right. Along the journey, Will meets fascinating strangers and experiences new thrills, including mountain cliffs, whitewater rapids, and a heart-hammering bear encounter. It is a journey into the soul of America''s past, and the meaning of family in the future. In the end, Will must face his own, life-changing test of courage. A father-and-son journey along the Lewis and Clark Trail--from Fort Mandan to the shining sea--offers readers a genre-bending blend of American history, thrilling action, and personal discovery. This title has Common Core connections.

From James Preller, the author of Bystander, another unflinching book about bullying and its fallout. The summer before school starts, Sam''s friend and classmate Morgan Mallen kills herself. Morgan had been bullied. Maybe she kissed the wrong boy. Or said the wrong thing. What about that selfie that made the rounds? Morgan was this, and Morgan was that. But who really knows what happened? As Sam explores the events leading up to the tragedy, he must face a difficult and life-changing question: Why did he keep his friendship with Morgan a secret? And could he have done something-anything-to prevent her final actions? This title has Common Core connections.

Twins Lance and Chance LaRue are seeking a pet in the swamp near their Texas shack when they happen upon an egg and bring it home to hatch, but the creature''s mother finds them, determined to rescue her little one.

Welcome. Have a seat. The doll will move if you ask nicely. She''s got a story to tell. But be warned. One-Eyed Doll isn''t just any tale. This is a Scary Tale. Meet Malick Rice and his sister, Tiana. Two kids who love to hunt for hidden treasure and are about to make their biggest find yet. A small box, locked tight, buried behind a deserted house. A box meant to stay buried forever... in this bone-chilling tale from James Preller and Iacopo Bruno.

Sucked into a strange video game where he finds himself caught in a snowstorm, young Aaron ventures into the nearby woods only to hear scary howls and discover that he''s trapped.

Welcome. Have a seat. Ignore the shambling undead outside. Let us tell you a story. But be warned. Good Night, Zombie isn''t just any tale. This is a Scary Tale. Meet Carter, Esme, and Arnold, three students accidentally locked together inside an almost deserted school. They are not friends. They scarcely know each other. But In the basement, a mysterious night janitor waits. And outside, moving in the mist, dark shapes shuffle closer... James Preller knows his audience: "It''s what so many students, on every school visit, tell me that they want. You guessed it, scary stories for grades 2-4, 80 page chapter books. And by scary I mean . . . spine-tingling, heart-pounding scary."

After the death of his mother, eight-year-old Liam and his father and sister move to a new house for a fresh start, but Liam soon discovers that the old house is haunted.

Amusement park-loving Samantha receives a ticket to a very special ride that takes her on a heart-stopping adventure along with her equally terrified companion.

It''s time for recess, and the schoolyard is teeming with young pirates ready for action.

Unable to recover from the guilt of his younger sister''s death when he was supposed to be watching her, Jude endures a bleak and silent existence the summer before his senior year before finding the strength to move on.

Arr! It''s the first day of first grade, and it''s all hands on deck for a young pirate and his crew. How much trouble can they get into? What will they do at recess? And, most important, what treasure awaits them at school?

A Bank Street - Best Children''s Book of the Year A game in the life of a Little League team playing their championship game – and two best friends whose bond is put to the test. Two teams, six innings, one game. A lively cast of characters—baseball-loving boys between the ages of eleven to thirteen—are playing the biggest game of their lives. With acrobatic catches, clutch hits, dramatic whiffs, and costly errors, this game is full of action. But as the book unfolds, pitch by pitch, a deeper story emerges, with far more at stake: Sam and Mike, best friends, are trying to come to terms with Sam''s newly diagnosed cancer. And this baseball diamond becomes the ultimate testing ground of Sam and Mike''s remarkable friendship as they strive to find a way to both come out winners. This is for the championship. This is for life.

Eric is the new kid in seventh grade. Griffin wants to be his friend. When you''re new in town, it''s hard to know who to hang out with—and who to avoid. Griffin seems cool, confident, and popular. But something isn''t right about Griffin. He always seems to be in the middle of bad things. And if Griffin doesn''t like you, you''d better watch your back. There might be a target on it. As Eric gets drawn deeper into Griffin''s dark world, he begins to see the truth about Griffin: he''s a liar, a bully, a thief. Eric wants to break away, do the right thing. But in one shocking moment, he goes from being a bystander . . . to the bully''s next victim. This title has Common Core connections.

Fifth-grader Spider Stevens--nicknamed for his climbing ability--wrestles with his loyalty to his best friend versus friendship with the popular crowd.

Ghosts start haunting Jigsaw''s classmates, and there''s a new ghostbuster in town stealing all of Jigsaw''s potential clients.

Presents a collection of scary tales, including a cat that lurks around every corner even though it is dead, a horrible monster hiding in the closet, and an imaginary friend that does bad things.

When the class''s Valentine candy disappears, Jigsaw and Mila try to figure out who stole it.

A young private investigator tells how to solve mini-mysteries, crack codes, and ponder over puzzles.

Details spectacular touchdown plays from past Super Bowl games.

Jigsaw and Mila try to help Sally Ann Simms meet Santa Claus.

Jigsaw Jones tries to find a missing good luck charm while on a winter vacation.