New Releases by Kate Messner

"[A] deftly layered mystery about family, friendship, and the struggle to speak up." - Laurie Halse Anderson, bestselling author of Speak and Shout From acclaimed author Kate Messner comes the powerful story of a young girl with the courage to make her voice heard, set against the backdrop of a summertime mystery. When Mia moves to Vermont the summer after seventh grade, she''s recovering from the broken arm she got falling off a balance beam. And packed away in the moving boxes under her clothes and gymnastics trophies is a secret she''d rather forget. Mia''s change in scenery brings day camp, new friends, and time with her beloved grandmother. But Gram is convinced someone is trying to destroy her cricket farm. Is it sabotage or is Gram''s thinking impaired from the stroke she suffered months ago? Mia and her friends set out to investigate, but can they uncover the truth in time to save Gram''s farm? And will that discovery empower Mia to confront the secret she''s been hiding--and find the courage she never knew she had? In a compelling story rich with friendship, science, and summer fun, a girl finds her voice while navigating the joys and challenges of growing up.

Ranger, the time-traveling golden retriever with search-and-rescue training, travels to New York City on the morning of the 9/11 attacks. COURAGE IN THE FACE OF DANGER! Ranger has never needed his search-and-rescue training more than when he arrives at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. There he meets Risha Scott and her friend Max who have come to work with Risha''s mother for a school project. But when the unthinkable happens and the building is evacuated, Risha is separated from her mom. Can Ranger lead Risha to safety and help reunite her family?

"Science experiments for children that help them learn to solve problems"--

Head-to-head combat! Astounding weapons! Extraordinary skills! Within the pages of this book, 18 awesomely real superheroes and supervillains come to life, each possessing powers far beyond the average insect. Meet the Malevolent Mimic, who wickedly disguises itself as a harmless pink orchid, only to shred unsuspecting butterflies! Or the Great Glue Shooter, who can shoot a smelly glue—from its face! Award-winning nonfiction author Kate Messner teams up with the talented Jillian Nickell in this action-packed exploration of the incredible insect abilities found in the natural world.

Ranger, the time-traveling golden retriever with search-and-rescue training, travels to Colonial America to help the patriot cause! Ranger heads to the Revolutionary War just before the Battle of Trenton. He meets Isaac Pope, a fisherman turned soldier for the Continental Army. When General George Washington is in need of a spy to cross into enemy territory, Isaac is chosen for the dangerous task. Ranger must help Isaac remain safe and undetected, or the battle -- and their lives -- will be lost.

Ranger''s next mission finds him in the middle of the Revolutionary War. There he meets Isaac Pope, a fisherman turned soldier for the Continental Army. When General George Washington is in need of a spy to cross into enemy territory, Isaac is chosen

Ranger, the time-traveling golden retriever with search-and-rescue training, finds himself in 1912... on board the Titanic! Everyone says the Titanic is unsinkable, and Patrick Murphy believes this most of all. He grew up near the shipyard where the magnificent ship was built and officially started working there when he turned thirteen. He''s even been chosen to be part of the crew during the Titanic''s maiden voyage! Ranger meets Patrick before the ship sets sail, and once on board, they befriend Maryam and Hamad. But one night, the ship hits an iceberg and starts to take on water. It''s a race against time for Ranger and his friends to help get as many passengers -- including themselves -- off the ship before it''s too late.

Told in letters, poems, text messages, news stories, and comics--a series of documents Nora collects for the Wolf Creek Community Time Capsule Project--Breakout is a thrilling story that will leave readers thinking about who''s really welcome in the places we call home. Nora Tucker is looking forward to summer vacation in Wolf Creek--two months of swimming, popsicles, and brushing up on her journalism skills for the school paper. But when two inmates break out of the town''s maximum security prison, everything changes. Doors are locked, helicopters fly over the woods, and police patrol the school grounds. Everyone is on edge, and fear brings out the worst in some people Nora has known her whole life. Even if the inmates are caught, she worries that home might never feel the same. A Mighty Girl Best Book of the Year

The Brilliant Deep is the proud recipient of the ALA Notable Children''s Books Award, the NSTA-CBC Best STEM Trade Books Award, the Junior Library Guild Selection and the ILA Teacher''s Choices. All it takes is one: one coral gamete to start a colony in the ocean, one person to make a difference in the world, one idea to help us heal the earth. The ongoing conservation efforts to save and rebuild the world''s coral reefs—with hammer and glue, and grafts of newly grown coral—are the living legacy of environmental scientist Ken Nedimyer, founder of the Coral Restoration Foundation. In telling the story of this sea conservation pioneer and marine life protector, Kate Messner and Matthew Forsythe create a stunning tribute to the wonders of nature and the power of human hope—a power even the smallest readers can access in their quest to aid our extraordinary planet. Recommended by experts for children who are reading independently and transitioning to longer books, The Brilliant Deep is perfect for the following reading categories:Books for Kids Ages 5-9Children''s Books for Kindergarten – 3rd GradeNonfiction Science Studies EducationSummer Reading

In this historical adventure novel for middle grade readers, a dog travels through time to join the allied forces in the Battle of Normandy. Ranger, the time-traveling golden retriever with search and rescue skills, heads to Normandy on the morning of the D-Day invasion and finds himself in the middle of one of the fiercest battles of World War II. Ranger meets Leo, a Jewish boy who is hiding with a local farmer, and Walt, a young African-American soldier fighting to free France from the Nazis. It’s pure chaos, with thundering warplanes, falling bombs, and exploding land mines. Will Ranger, Leo, and Walt survive?

Ranger, the time-traveling golden retriever with search-and-rescue training, helps two new friends survive the Great San Francisco Earthquake! Ranger travels to San Francisco and meets Lily Chen. She was sent from China to America to work as a young servant, but she dreams of studying to be a doctor. When the Great Earthquake hits, Ranger arrives in time to rescue Lily from falling beams in the mission house where she lives. Together they flee to safety, stopping to help another girl, May Wong, save her little brother from the family''s collapsed market. Lily and May try to make their way through the ruined city with Ranger at their side. But can they escape crumbling buildings and raging fires, all while facing anti-Chinese discrimination?

An award-winning author and an acclaimed artist honor the sacrifices of American veterans and their families in this poetic tribute. Lines of bikes are miles long, shining, half a million strong. Rumbling, grumbling, engines roar. Peace signs. High fives. Spirits soar. Every Memorial Day in Washington, D.C., more than a million veterans and their supporters gather for the Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom, a demonstration that pays tribute to the men and women of the U.S. armed forces. This lyrical story honors the bravery and sacrifice of those American heroes—the ones who have returned home, and the ones who haven’t. Praise for Rolling Thunder “A tribute to the phenomenon that is the Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom . . . Ruth’s background in comics illustration is evident in his skillful use of palette to reflect mood . . . A lyrical ode to our nation’s fallen heroes and those who keep their memories alive, suitable for one-on-one and small group sharing. A good choice for most collections.” —School Library Journal “Sincere, affecting pages . . . pay tribute to the sacrifices of veterans and their families . . . An emotional wringer.” —The Wall Street Journal “Respectful, eloquent, and moving.” —Booklist

In this gorgeous companion to the acclaimed Over and Under the Snow and Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt, Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal bring to life a secret underwater world. In this book, readers will discover the plants and animals that make up the rich, interconnected ecosystem of a mountain pond. Over the pond, the water is a mirror, reflecting the sky. But under the pond is a hidden world of minnows darting, beavers diving, tadpoles growing. These and many other secrets are waiting to be discovered...over and under the pond.

In this middle grade historical adventure, a dog times travels to the middle ages and reunites a family after a volcano eruption in Viking-era Iceland. Ranger, the time-traveling golden retriever, has landed in Viking age Iceland, where he meets a girl named Helga, who seems perfectly able to take care of herself—until a volcano erupts just as Helga’s new sibling is about to be born! Together Ranger and Helga to journey through the ash and smoke to find her father and bring him home in time.

This time Ranger, the time-traveling Golden retriever, finds himself in San Francisco in the middle of the great 1906 earthquake, and his mission is obviously to get a young Chinese immigrant, Lily Chen, to safety, but as they make their way through the ruined and burning city Ranger finds that he must also accomplish something else--finding Lily, who was sold as a servant by her parents, a new family who will care for her.

In this middle grade historical adventure, a dog travels through time to take part in a voyage from New Zealand to the South Pole. Ranger, the time-traveling golden retriever with search-and-rescue training, joins an early twentieth-century expedition journeying from New Zealand to Antarctica. He befriends Jack Nin, the stowaway turned cabin boy of Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s ship. They’re racing against a rival explorer to reach the South Pole, but with unstable ice, killer whales, and raging blizzards, the journey turns into a race against time . . . and a struggle to stay alive. Praise for the first book in the Ranger in Time series: “This excellent story contains historical details, full-page illustrations, and enough action to keep even reluctant readers engaged.” —School Library Journal “The third-person narration expertly balances Ranger’s thoughts between the appropriately doglike (squirrels! bacon!) and the heroic (Ranger’s drive to find and protect).” —Kirkus Reviews “McMorris’s richly rendered illustrations heighten the plot’s many moments of danger and drama, and Messner incorporates a wealth of historical details into her rousing adventure story.” —Publishers Weekly

With the same warmth and fun that readers loved in All the Answers, award-winning author Kate Messner weaves fantasy into the ordinary, giving every reader the opportunity to experience a little magic. Be careful what you wish for . . . When Charlie Brennan goes ice fishing on her town''s frozen lake, she hopes the fish she reels in will help pay for a fancy Irish dancing dress for her upcoming competition. Instead, she catches a talking fish that offers to grant her wishes in exchange for its freedom, and Charlie''s world turns upside down, as her wishes go terribly--and hilariously--wrong. Just as Charlie is finally getting the hang of communicating with a magical fish, a family crisis brings reality into sharp focus. Charlie quickly learns that the real world doesn''t always keep fairy-tale promises and life''s toughest challenges can''t be fixed by a simple wish . . .

This time the mysterious box that Ranger the Golden retriever found transports him to a Maryland plantation before the Civil War, where he must help a young house slave named Sarah and her younger brother Jesse find their way to the underground railroad and North to freedom, before Jesse is sold to a plantation further South.

Ranger, the time-traveling golden retriever, is back for the third book in Kate Messner''s new chapter book series. This time, he helps two kids navigate the Underground Railroad! Ranger is a time-traveling golden retriever with search-and-rescue training. In this adventure, he goes to a Maryland plantation during the days of American slavery, where he meets a young girl named Sarah. When she learns that the owner has plans to sell her little brother, Jesse, to a plantation in the Deep South, it means they could be separated forever. Sarah takes their future into her own hands and decides there''s only one way to run -- north.

Deep in the forest, in the warm-wet green, 1 almendro tree grows, stretching its branches toward the sun. Who makes their homes here? 2 great green macaws, 4 keel-billed toucans, 8 howler monkeys, 16 fruit bats, 32 fer-de-lance vipers, 64 agoutis, 128 blue morpho butterflies, 256 poison dart frogs, 512 rusty wandering spiders, 1,024 leafcutter ants. Count each and every one as life multiplies again and again in this lush and fascinating book about the rainforest.

Ranger, the time-traveling golden retriever, is back for the second book in Kate Messner''s new chapter book series. This time, he''s off to save the day in ancient Rome! Ranger is a golden retriever who has been trained as a search-and-rescue dog. In this adventure, Ranger travels to the Colosseum in ancient Rome, where there are gladiator fights and wild animal hunts! Ranger befriends Marcus, a young boy Ranger saves from a runaway lion, and Quintus, a new volunteer gladiator who must prove himself in the arena. Can Ranger help Marcus and Quintus escape the brutal world of the Colosseum?

"A picture book celebration of the act of exploring--and sharing--a book"--

"Up in the garden, the world is full of green--leaves and sprouts, growing vegetables, ripening fruit. But down in the dirt there is a busy world of earthworms digging, snakes hunting, skunks burrowing, and all the other animals that make a garden their home. In this exuberant book, discover the wonder and activity that lie hidden between the stalks, under the shade of leaves ... and down in the dirt."--

"A charming, moving, funny, and ultimately very surprising story." --Wendy Mass, New York Times bestselling author of 11 Birthdays What if your pencil were MAGICAL? When Ava Anderson finds an old blue pencil in her family''s junk drawer, it doesn''t seem like anything special. But then she writes a question in the margin of her math quiz, and she hears a voice loud and clear--one that nobody else can hear--and it tells her the answer! With the help of her best friend, Sophie, Ava sees that having a magical, all-knowing pencil can be very handy in middle school. But as Ava''s reliance on the pencil grows, the truths it reveals about herself and her family lead Ava on an adventure she never expected.

Meet Ranger! He''s a time-traveling golden retriever who has a nose for trouble . . . and always saves the day! Ranger has been trained as a search-and-rescue dog, but can''t officially pass the test because he''s always getting distracted by squirrels during exercises. One day, he finds a mysterious first aid kit in the garden and is transported to the year 1850, where he meets a young boy named Sam Abbott. Sam''s family is migrating west on the Oregon Trail, and soon after Ranger arrives he helps the boy save his little sister. Ranger thinks his job is done, but the Oregon Trail can be dangerous, and the Abbotts need Ranger''s help more than they realize!

Offers advice on writing for teachers who teach writing, asserting that only by being writers themselves can teachers become effective mentors for their students. Includes mini-lessons, writing prompts, and bursts of inspiration designed to stimulate writing every day.

An irrepressible third grader’s charity pet-sitting business gets out of hand in this witty chapter book. Marty McGuire really has her hands full this time—with a lazy boa, a hyper hamster, and a potty-mouthed parrot! Is her pet sitting business about to go OUT of business? After visiting a sanctuary for retired lab chimpanzees, Marty wants to follow in the footsteps of her idol Jane Goodall and help with their care. But “adopting a chimp” is expensive, so Marty and her third-grade pals hatch a plan to raise money by holding a talent show at school and opening a pet-sitting business in Marty’s basement. It turns out that each pet has a personality of its own, and wrangling them is much harder than Marty expected. How will Marty keep her latest great idea from going to the dogs? Praise for Marty McGuire Has Too Many Pets! “Messner makes the most of Marty’s story with a nicely differentiated cast of empathetic characters and plenty of dramatic range. The line-and-gray-wash illustrations by Caldecott Medal–winning artist Floca capture moments of anxiety, despair, and happiness with equal grace.” —Booklist

Four kids . . . Two weeks in the Florida Everglades . . . One top-secret science experiment that could change them and the world as they know it . . . Meet football-star Quentin, hockey-player Sarah, horse-lover Ben, and artistic bird-watcher Cat. The four have little in common-except the head injuries that landed them in an elite brainscience center in the wild swamps of Florida. The clinic promises to return their lives to normal, but as days pass, the kids notice strange side effects and unexplained changes. Something about this clinic isn''t right, and if they can''t overcome their injuries--and their differences--to escape, they could lose themselves forever. . . .

Being kind is a big job, but nothing''s too big for a sea monster. Not even taking on the new fish in school, who''s great...except when he''s pushing people around. This funny, charming twist on dealing with a bully will reassure and delight the smallest children and the biggest sea monsters alike.

Three friends venture into the Costa Rican rain forests in search of missing treasure in this fast-paced mystery by the author of Capture the Flag. José, Anna, and Henry are junior members of the secret Silver Jaguar Society, sworn to protect the world’s most important artifacts. When they discover that the society’s treasured Jaguar Cup has been replaced with a counterfeit, the trio and their families rush to the rain forests of Costa Rica in search of the real chalice. But when the trail runs dry, new mysteries emerge: Who can they trust? Is there a traitor in their midst? With danger at every turn, it will take more than they realize for José and his friends to recover the cup before it falls into the wrong hands. Praise for Hide and Seek “A gratifying page-turner. Aptly titled, this energetic treasure hunt is sure to find an enthusiastic audience.” —Kirkus Reviews