New Releases by Kate Messner

Unable to pass his tests as a search-and-rescue dog because he is too easily distracted, Ranger is transported to the year 1850, where he must help a young boy and his family on the Oregon Trail. By the award-winning author of The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. Simultaneous and eBook.

After a concussion that affects her balance, memory, and other abilities, twelve-year-old Kat goes to I-Can, the "Miracle Clinic in the Swamp," where she joins forces with other patients to expose a plot that endangers them all.

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

When the new fish in class criticizes everything and tries to bully the other students, Sea Monster needs to think of a way that everyone can play together and get along.

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

After the original flag that inspired OThe Star Spangled BannerO is stolen, seventh-graders Anne, Jos, and Henry, all descendants of the Silver Jaguar Society, pursue suspects while stranded at a Washington, D.C., airport during a snowstorm.

An irrepressible third grader’s school project to help the planet causes chaos instead in this funny, accessible chapter book. Marty McGuire’s third-grade class has a special assignment: Save the Earth! Even more exciting, the best project wins a special award. Marty’s pretty sure her classmates’ ideas won’t stand a chance against her plan to turn the garbage from the school cafeteria into fertilizer. All she needs is a little help from her teammate and best friend, Annie—and the worms in her grandma’s garden. But it turns out that worms are awfully SLOW eaters. And when the critters escape, the whole class starts grumbling. Can Marty save the Earth without losing her friends? Praise for Marty McGuire Digs Worms! “A quick, amusing read with an easily digestible environmental message; it is a perfect match for its young intended audience.” —Kirkus Reviews

Jaden''s summer visit with her meteorologist father, who has just returned from spending four years in Russia conducting weather experiments not permitted in the United States, fills her with apprehension and fear as she discovers that living at her father''s planned community, Placid Meadows, is anything but placid.

Sea monster Ernest is starting his first day of school. But starting school is a big job! Fitting in when you''re a sea monster is tough enough, and there''s so much to learn and do—reading, singing, playing hide-and-seek with the fishermen, lunchtime in the algae patch.... This funny, charming twist on the worries and joys of starting school will reassure and delight the smallest children and the largest sea monsters alike.

Includes an excerpt from: Marty McGuire digs worms!

All she wanted was to skate, but when her dreams come true, what happens when she''s thrown into the cutthroat world of figure skating competition? For Claire Boucher, life is all about skating on the frozen cow pond and in the annual Maple Show right before the big pancake breakfast on her family''s farm. But all that changes when Russian skating coach Andrei Grosheva offers Claire a scholarship to train with the elite in Lake Placid. Tossed into a world of mean girls on ice, where competition is everything, Claire realizes that her sweet dream come true has sharper edges than she could have imagined. Can she find the strength to stand up to the people who want to see her fail and the courage to decide which dream she wants to follow? From bestselling author Kate Messner comes a heartfelt novel about the fun and frigid sides of figure skating.

Gianna Z has less than one week to collect, identify, and creatively display 25 leaves for her science project-or else she won''t be able to compete in the upcoming cross-country sectionals race. As the deadline for her leaf project draws near, life keeps getting in the way. Some things are within Gee''s control, like her own procrastination, but others aren''t, like Biana Rinaldi''s attempts at sabotage and Nonna''s declining health. If it weren''t for her best friend Zig, Gee wouldn''t have a chance at finishing. His knowledge of trees and leaves in their rural Vermont town comes in very handy- as does his loyalty to Gee. But when Nonna disappears one afternoon, things like leaves and cross-country meets suddenly seem less important.