New Releases by Johanna Hurwitz

Finally...first grade! Elisa is finally in a grade with a number -- just like her big brother, Russell. Elisa is old enough to take piano lessons, lose a tooth, or make a special Mother''s Day breakfast. Sometimes Russell treats her like a baby, but Elisa is making big plans! Elisa is finally in a grade with a number -- just like her big brother, Russell. Elisa is old enough to take piano lessons, lose a tooth, and make a special Mother''s Day breakfast. Sometimes Russell treats her like a baby, but Elisa has big plans!

Now that he''s six, Russell has some very important questions 1. If he has to wear hand-me-downs, shoulden''t bigger kids wear hand-me-ups? 2. If he can''t say bad words, can he make up his own words when he''s angry? 3. If he has to get a report card, isn''t it about time his parents got one, too?

More than anything, Teddy wants to do something that his older sister, Nora, has never done. So when neighbor Anita hires Teddy to feed her cat while she''s away, Teddy takes on the task. With his Superman cape, Teddy feels confident he can do a good job. And when the family needs a superduper pet, it''s Teddy to the rescue!

Now that Elisa''s in second grade, she''s taking charge of whatever comes her way — from a baby-sitter who doesn''t know how to change a diaper to an airplane trip without her parents. Of course, it''s not easy taking charge when your big brother thinks you''re too little and your little brother runs amok! But Elisa is determined to make everything work out in the end. And what better way to celebrate being seven and a half than a day of eating nothing but chocolate. Chocolate cookies, chocolate milk, chocolate bars . . . chocolate and more chocolate, from morning to night. With these delicious new episodes from the whirlwind life of Elisa Michaels, Johanna Hurwitz entertains us once again with a vivid portrayal of family life as seen from four feet tall.

Monty tries to master a magic kit — and finds some real-life situations tricky — in this spot-on story about an endearing, utterly relatable first-grader. First grade is almost over, and Monty will soon be seven. He’s now a big brother, too, which makes him feel very grown-up. But when he tries to use the magic set his grandmother gave him, he has a little trouble. Maybe the card trick would work if he were eight years old? Mother’s Day is coming, and Monty wishes he had something better to give his mom than the picture frame he made out of ice-cream sticks at school. But how is he supposed to guess from the TV call-in ad how much flowers cost, or that you need a special card to get them? Whether involving his baby sister in his library project, losing a sneaker while marching with his karate class in the parade, or learning that an exciting afternoon isn’t always a good thing, Monty’s familiar adventures embody the gentle humor of everyday life.

When a childhood illness leaves her blind and deaf, Helen Keller''s life seems hopeless indeed. But her indomitable will and the help of a devoted teacher empower Helen to triumph over incredible adversity. This amazing true story is finally brought to the beginner reader level.

Nora doesn''t mean to be a busybody - she just likes getting to know everyone who lives in her apartment. She wants all 200 people to get together for one giant party!

Yard sales, ice-skating, and surprise parties are just a few of the things that make fourth grade fun. But Julio and his friends know it’s time to get serious when the class begins preparing for the big statewide test at the end of the year. Just thinking about it is enough to give anybody a stomachache! Julio and his best friend, Lucas, are going to try every superstition in the book to make sure they pass. They’ll wear their underwear inside out, use brand-new pencils, and even—gulp—study. But when test day comes, Julio finds out there are some surprises no one can prepare for! Whether one has read about Julio and Lucas and their other classmates before in class clown and class president or this is the first meeting, here is a story that will strike a familiar chord. With the warmth and realism she is known for, beloved author Johanna Hurwitz brings us the hardships and humor of Julio Sanchez’s fourth-grade year.

Noah struggles to impress the kids he meets when he and his family move to a new house.

A simple story about a young boy at bedtime.

A simple story about a young boy when he is sick.

Four simple stories about playing outside that will make new readers eager to keep going!

All Curtis wants is a dog. At the animal shelter, Curtis falls in love with Sammy, a friendly puppy with curly black fur, floppy ears, a wagging tail, and perfect white teeth. He''s the best dog in the whole world. At home, things are different-Sammy steals food and chews sneakers and toys-but Curtis loves him anyway. Then Sammy bites Curtis''s mom, and Curtis has to face the fact that Sammy''s not perfect after all. Will Curtis have to give Sammy up? Or will he do whatever it takes to keep his dog?

Ethan chases a fast cat. Will he catch it?

Ethan tries to feed the birds, but he is no match for hungry squirrels.

Ethan leaves his lunch on the picnic table. A squirrel, a bird, and some ants eat his lunch. When Ethan returns his lunch is all gone.

Ethan''s not the only one having trouble riding his bike. Look out, Dad!

For use in schools and libraries only. When his owner''s parents let him go in Central Park, a young guinea pig learns to survive in the natural world with the help of a "park-wise" squirrel.

"What is your name?" That''s what Nora asks her neighbors as she rides up and down the elevator of her apartment house. She doesn''t mean to be a busybody. She just wants to be like doorman Henry and know all the people in her building--all 200 of them! And then one day Nora gets a great idea: they''ll have a giant party, for everyone in the building!

Ezra Feldman, almost ten, likes baseball more than anything else in the world. But his father cannot understand why his son would rather rot his brains watching men swinging big wooden sticks than read a book or play chess. Can an unwanted car trip, a grumpy old professor, and a surprising chess victory help father and son find a little common ground--and convince Ezra''s dad that cheering for the national pastime isn''t completely off base?Ezra Feldman, almost ten, likes baseball more than anything else in the world. But his father cannot understand why his son would rather rot his brains watching men swinging big wooden sticks than read a book or play chess. Can an unwanted car trip, a grumpy old professor, and a surprising chess victory help father and son find a little common ground--and convince Ezra''s dad that cheering for the national pastime isn''t completely off base?

When his owner''s parents let him go in Central Park, a young guinea pig learns to survive in the natural world with the help of a "park-wise" squirrel while trying to find his way back home.

From July 1942 until August 1944, a young girl named Anne Frank kept a diary. Keeping a diary isn''t unusual. Lots of girls do. But Anne''s diary was unique. It chronicled the two years she and her family spent hiding from the Germans who were determined to annihilate all the Jews in Europe. In this sensitive and thoughtful introduction to the Holocaust and to the life of one of its best known victims, acclaimed author Johanna Hurwitz deftly evokes the background of World War II while capturing the unforgettable spirit and tragedy of Anne''s life. From July 1942 until August 1944, a young girl named Anne Frank kept a diary. Keeping a diary isn''t unusual. Lots of girls do. But Anne''s diary was unique. It chronicled the two years she and her family spent hiding from the Germans who were determined to annihilate all the Jews in Europe. In this sensitive and thoughtful introduction to the Holocaust and to the life of one of its best known victims, acclaimed author Johanna Hurwitz deftly evokes the background of World War II while capturing the unforgettable spirit and tragedy of Anne''s life.

Fifth-grader Adam Fine thinks that his two llamas will be a hit at the grand reopening of the town''s library.

Owing to a school project, eight-year-old Aldo decides to give up eating meat.

Eight-year-old David Bernstein discovers life is much more exciting when he calls himself Ali Baba Bernstein. Only Ali Baba would have dared to grab the class snail and escape to the boys'' room for his own magic experiment. David would never have invited every David Bernstein in the phone book to his birthday party -- or find himself hailed as a great detective -- or discover adventures and misadventures everywhere he went. But Ali Baba Bernstein does!

Throughout a series of adventures, ten-year-old David Ali Baba Bernstein spends most of his time thinking about becoming a detective and getting a dog.

While vacationing at Bolivia''s house in Ithaca, New York, Rory tries to hide his fear of flying after Bolivia suggests a trip in her uncle''s airplane.

Silvia can''t wait to try on her present from Tia Rosita: new shoes as red as the inside of a watermelon. The shoes are too big for Silvia to wear -- but that doesn''t stop her from dinfing lots of ways to enjoy them while she waits for her feet to grow! "The excitement of the new shoes and the formidable task of waiting to grow into them are both conveyed beautifully through the story and the art....Watercolors fill each page with the details of life in Silvia''s home and small village....Hurwitz perfectly captures the pleasure of a special gifted the difficulty of waiting."--Horn Book Speaks universally to the imagination and emotions."--School Library Journal

As a composer, conductor, pianist and teacher, Leonard Bernstein managed to fit four lives into one. A nine-time Emmy winner, he composed both serious and popular music, including the well-known Broadway and movie hits, West Side Story and On the Town. C

Peanut and Butter, the two dogs Aldo gets for his eleventh birthday, create chaos inside the house while his parents are out of town and get accused of tearing up the neighbor''s lawn.