New Releases by Mary Jane Auch

Starstruck by her dream of becoming a famous ballerina, Poulette the hen is nearly taken in by a slick talent scout (a fox) who offers her the lead in his production of "Peeping Beauty."

"The expressive narrator charms the listener by impersonating the characters...Short segments of music and brief sound effects add interest." - Booklist

Henrietta loves to read. When she clucks buk, buk, buk at the library, the librarian knows exactly what to recommend. Then Henrietta decides to write a book. With the help of her three aunties, she hatches a plot. But when Henrietta publishes her story, the critics say she''s laid an egg! Is this the end of Henrietta''s career as an author?

A funny and moving middle-grade novel for dog lovers by popular author Mary Jane Auch. Other dogs are K-9s. But K-10 is a cut above other dogs, and his mother gave hime the name to prove it when he was a puppy. Now K-10 is grown up and all on his own, because K-10 doesn''t need friends--canine or human. He spends his time running away from owners and doing time in dog shelters, and that''s just fine with him. But after K-10 escapes from a shelter with some other dogs, everything changes. These new dogs aren''t so easy to forget, and all they can bark about is finding old and new owners. Will K-10 go back to being a loner, or can this not-so-old dog learn a new trick--friendship?

When Lance, a very pretentious turkey, arrives on the farm and boasts that he is the only bird invited to a special feast, no hen is impressed, but when Beauty learns that Lance is the main course, she convinces the others to save him.

"Grady, can you pick up that wing nut for me?" "The what?" "The wing nut I just dropped. It has two little projections on it that look like wings. It fell into that patch of grass." Grady dropped to his knees and felt through the grass until he found it. He couldn''t help smiling about the name--wing nut. That was the perfect description of Charlie Fernwald and his crazy attraction to birds. Sometimes "home" is found where you least expect it Grady Flood and his mom, Lila, have been on the road ever since Grady''s dad died seven years ago. When their old car breaks down, they find themselves stranded in rural Pennsylvania where Lila gets work as a cook and caretaker. There''s nothing out of the ordinary in that, unless you factor in her new employer. Eighty-five-year-old Charlie Fernwald, a skilled mechanic and bird enthusiast, is definitely out of the ordinary. In fact, if Grady''s not mistaken, Charlie is a certifiable "wing nut." Grady and Lila plan to leave as soon as they have enough money to repair their car. For the time being, Grady figures, he can help Charlie with his birds and maybe even learn how to fix a car engine. But before he can do either, something goes terribly wrong. In her warm and engaging style, MJ Auch crafts a compelling novel about family, forgiveness, and the true meaning of home.

Believe it or not–and you better believe it–Josh’s dog Arful can talk! This is very useful to Josh and his pals who want to win the school talent contest. First the boys have to find out what the girls are planning for the contest. That’s when they send Arful to get an earful by spying on the girls. Just wait until show time to see what Arful the spy uncovers.

When Henrietta becomes the first chicken in her coop to learn how to read, she uses her skills to save her aunties from becoming chicken soup.

I Was a Third Grade Bodyguard is a follow-up to I Was a Third Grade Science Project and I Was a Third Grade Spy. When Brian takes care of the third-grade class''s pet chicken during Christmas vacation, Arful, his talking dog, has his paws full watching over it.

In 1817, after her mother has died and her father abandoned his children, thirteen-year-old Mem searches for a new home for Joshua, herself, and their little sister.

An out-of-work princess applies to become the bride of Prince Drupert, but first she must pass several tests, including a cooking contest.

It sure is handy having Brian the Brain for a best friend—how else would Josh have a shot at first prize in the science fair and winning tickets to Wonderland Lake? But when Brian plans to hypnotize his dog, Arfie, into thinking he’s a cat, Josh knows he can say goodbye to Wonderland Lake—this scheme will never work. The next thing he knows, Josh is climbing trees and craving raw fish sandwiches. What’s going on? Will the real science project please meow?

In 1816, twelve-year-old Mem''s new home in the wilderness of western New York is disrupted when the birth of another baby sends her mother into "spells" that disconnect her from reality.

Tired of the bragging of Percival the peacock, Poulette convinces the other hens in the barnyard that they can outperform the boastful bird in a ballet she creates.

After his father remarries, twelve-year-old Jeremy begins to feel that there is no place for him in a family which now includes a stepsister his age who is a superb athlete.

An elderly uncle given to occasional bouts of confusion causes the Andersons to wonder if they are able to care for him or if he should be sent to a nursing home.

Having been kicked off the third grade soccer team, Brian challenges them to a match against his own team, a team which he and his cousin Angel hasten to create and whip into shape--if possible.

When twelve-year-old Ben moves with his family to a town on the shore of Lake Ontario he finds a friend who seems to be a witch and who helps him meet the problems associated with his moving and with his stormy relationships with his father and big sister.