New Releases by Megan McDonald

Judy can’t wait for her mischief to bear fruit when Stink discovers that his backyard science project is an overnight success. Hardy-har-har! Prankenstein strikes again! The Summer Science Showdown is just around the corner, and Stink is positive that he has the recipe for a winning entry. Soon he’s acting like a mad scientist, with strong-smelling potions in hand and visions of super tomatoes dancing in his head. Judy takes one look at her busy brainiac brother and sees a situation ripe for a little mischief! Everyone knows that Judy has never met a practical joke she doesn’t like, and soon the Princess of Pranks is cooking up a recipe of her own. From Megan McDonald comes an epic match of wits in a Judy Moody story perfect for newly independent readers.

From New York Times best-selling author Megan McDonald, creator of Judy Moody, and lauded illustrator Scott Nash comes a droll comedy for early readers about an endearingly inept pair of outlaws. Get ready for a wild ride with Bunny and Clyde! These by-the-rules buddies, a rabbit and a chipmunk, are sick and tired of being good. For once, they want to know what it’s like to be baddies—rotten to the core! They want thrills and excitement! But to get really good at being bad, they’re going to need some experience. What if the dastardly duo started returning library books late on purpose? Or borrowing markers without asking? Everyone knows it’s a swift downhill slide from there—as long as there’s an unprotected piggy bank in town! Unless, of course, their best attempts at mastering bad deeds are strangely misconstrued . . . Author Megan McDonald brings her quick wit and ear for dialogue, matched by Scott Nash’s deft animal characterizations, to a hilarious caper of criminal intentions gone awry.

Follow a hermit crab on the perilous journey to replace his outgrown shell in this classic picture book by the author of the popular Judy Moody and Stink series. Hermit Crab has outgrown his shell, and it’s time for a new home to keep him safe from predators. The beach is strewn with possible choices, but none are quite right. A rock is too heavy; a tin can is too noisy; a fishing net has too many holes. He stepped along the shore, by the sea, in the sand . . . scritch-scratch, scritch-scratch When a giant wave sends Hermit Crab careening toward a hungry porcupine fish, will he find a hiding place in time? Katherine Tillotson’s immersive artwork breathes new life into this classic text by Megan McDonald, beloved author of the Judy Moody series. Brand-new backmatter provides further learning about all things hermit crab. A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Birthdays, April Fools’, visits from the Tooth Fairy—mark the calendar for this trio of stories for younger Judy Moody fans. Three books in one! Holy guacamole! Judy and her family and friends have plenty to celebrate in this bind-up of three favorite episodes. Mrs. Moody in The Birthday Jinx Every year on Mom’s birthday, one way or another, something goes wrong. But this year, Judy is going to do all she can to make sure Mom gets the happy birthday she deserves. Watch out! The Boss of Birthday (aka Judy) is on the job! April Fools’, Mr. Todd! It’s April Fools’ Day—and Judy’s birthday. Will her friends remember in time, or will Judy be the fool this year? And just what might Mr. Todd have up his sleeve? Judy Moody, Tooth Fairy Judy and her friends are on the playground when Jessica Finch overhears a fifth-grader say there’s no such thing as the Tooth Fairy. What!? Luckily, Judy Moody is on the case in this cavity-free caper full of surprises—and a little bit of magic.

WWNDD? What Would Nancy Drew Do? Judy and her new friend, Mighty Fantaskey, take cues from their favorite sleuth as they search for a lost mood ring in a spooky attic. Judy Moody is freaky for Nancy Drew, the famous girl detective from the book series. Nancy Drew is an ace at solving mysteries with brains, bravery, and bobby pins, and Judy is determined to solve mysteries too. So when Judy bumps into Mighty Fantaskey, she is excited to meet another Nancy Drew fan and to make a new friend. Excited, that is, until she visits Mighty’s house: it’s big and old and creaky and definitely haunted. It even turns Judy’s mood ring the color of fear! On Judy’s first visit, she hightails it out of there, leaving Mighty in the dust. But where is Judy’s favorite ring? Jeepers! Can Judy pluck up enough courage to go back and find it—and solve the real-life mystery waiting in Mighty’s attic?

Jump-start a Judy Moody collection with this uber-cool compilation of books 1 and 2. As more and more kids are feeling the Moody mania — it’s time to offer a head start on the adventures that earned the feisty third-grader a place in readers’ hearts. Featured in this Judy Moody bonanza are: Book #1: Judy Moody When Mr . Todd assigns Class 3T a special Me Project, Judy really gets a chance to express herself! Book #2: Judy Moody Gets Famous! A determined Judy is out to find fame and happiness, but will she become more infamous than ever?

Jolly smashing! Could the Moodys really have royal blood? Judy brings her new look to a comical episode about the ups and downs of exploring a family tree. Judy Moody is in a royal purple-mountain-majesties mood. Make that Majesty with a capital M! With Grandma Lou’s help, Judy has dug up proof that some old-timey Moodys (aka the brave Mudeyes) lived in merry olde England. In fact, if her grandpa’s notes are right, Judy might even be related to — royal fanfare, please — the Queen herself! Should Judy start packing her purple robe for a sleepover at Buckingham Palace? But then Judy’s family tree gets a few more shakes — thanks to her nemesis, Jessica “Fink” Finch — and some more surprises come tumbling out. Crikey! These new gems are not nearly as shiny or sparkly as the crown jewels. Now Judy has some right royal family secrets she’d like to keep hidden away in a dungeon somewhere — and especially away from Jessica, the princess in pink herself!

This book explores family economic decision-making in the United States from the nineteenth century through present day, specifically looking at the relationship between family resource allocation decisions and government policy. It examines how families have responded to incentives and constraints established by diverse federal and state policies and laws, including the regulation of marriage and of female labor force participation, child labor and education policies—including segregation—social welfare programs, and more. The goal of this book is to present family economic decisions throughout US history in a way that contextualizes where the US economy and the families that drive it have been. It goes on to discuss the role public policies have played in that journey, where we need to go from here, and how public policies can help us get there. At a time when American families are more complex than ever before, this volume will educate readers on the often unrecognized role that government policies have on our family lives, and the uncelebrated role that family economic decision-making has on the future of the US economy.

Third grader Judy Moody is in a first day of school bad mood until she gets an assignment to create a collage all about herself and begins creating her masterpiece, the Me collage.

Includes readers' extras and a page of stickers.

Includes 1 detachable sheet of color stickers.

Includes readers' extras and a page of stickers.

Hie thee to Shakespeare camp with Stink to learn fake sword-fighting, spout silly curses, and prithee try to escape a kiss . . . BLUCK! It’s spring break, and Stink is faced with a difficult choice: hang out at home with his sister, Judy, or become a Shakespeare Sprite with his friend Sophie of the Elves. Hanged be! When Sophie tells Stink that there will be swordplay and cursing at Shakespeare camp, his choice is made. But wait! How now? The eager young thespian hadn’t counted on Riley Rottenberger being a Sprite, too. And he positively had not counted on being the only boy! Fie upon’t!

Mighty righty Judy Moody is out of her element in this righty-to-lefty switcheroo just right for newly independent readers. Left-handers are creative. Left-handers are geniuses. Half of all cats are lefties! (Or so says Stink.) But Judy is a righty . . . and Judy is feeling left out. Tomorrow is Left Handers Day, and Stink and Dad, the southpaws in the Moody family, are celebrating at the pretzel factory. Judy is allowed to come along on one condition: she has to be left-handed — the whole entire day. It’s on!

Judy is excited about becoming a doctor, but she learns more about being a patient when she catches tonsillitis.

By popular demand, Judy Moody herself steps into the spotlight in a story that is sure to have kids grinning — and believing. Judy and her friends are on the playground when Jessica Finch overhears a fifth-grader talking. What!? There’s no such thing as the Tooth Fairy? Can that big kid be right? Luckily, Judy Moody is on the case! All she needs is one loose tooth, a semi-reluctant little brother, a bathtub, a string, a toy motorboat, and . . . open wide, Stink! But what if the real Tooth Fairy is a no-show? Judy Moody fans will happily sink their teeth into this cavity-free caper full of surprises — and a little bit of magic.

Discovering Grandma Lou's mysterious "bucket list" of things that she wants to do in her lifetime, Judy Moody is inspired to create a list of her own goals, from learning to do a cartwheel to visiting Antarctica.

Aaagh! Crawl slowly for your lives! Stink kicks off his second decade with a super-funny homage to an oozy-goozy organism. Glip! Glop! Gloop! What looks like dog vomit, smells like a corpse flower, and stars in one of the scariest movies Stink Moody has ever seen? Is it the Blob? The Glob? Son of Glob? No, it’s . . . slime mold! Stink may be a super science geek, but even Dr. Stinkelstein is feeling freaked out about having a slime mold living and growing in his very own room. At Saturday Science Club, Stink learns that these one-celled organisms are smart enough to find their way out of mazes and gang up on food sources — so who says they aren’t smart enough to take over Stink’s pets, Stink’s room, Stink himself, and . . . the world? Vintage horror flicks meet classic Star Trek episodes as a wary Stink (with some help from Dr. Judy Moody) comes to know and love an unusual new pet in a hilarious adventure that sneaks in factoids and comics at each chapter’s end.

Judy’s unusual pets—Jaws, Mouse, and Toady—are the center of attention in a new Judy Moody® book for newly independent readers. Dr. Judy knows a sick pet when she sees one, and Jaws the Venus flytrap is for-sure sick. Time for some urgent care and first aid! Judy Moody, pet vet, will never rest in her efforts to nurse Jaws back to health. In her quest for a medical miracle, Judy finds herself wrangling an unruly toad and seeking help from Mouse, the mind-reading cat. Nothing will stand in the way of Judy’s search for a cure. Not even the fearsome Carnivoria vampira! From Megan McDonald comes this selection of three mini-stories just right for luring young readers into the Moody universe.

On your mark, get set, Gobblers-a-Go-Go! Judy swears she’ll win the race for a Thanksgiving turkey (though Stink has his doubts) in this full-color Moody adventure. The town’s annual Turkey Trot race and festival is coming up, and Judy and Stink are training to win. Judy has decided that she is going to take home the big prize: a fat, juicy turkey. They can taste it already: the moist turkey, the hot gravy, the savory stuffing, the cranberry sauce! Beep! Beep! Beep! That’s the sound of Stink’s Rapidfire Ultra XE611M25 stopwatch going off as Judy and Stink hop, crawl, and climb toward race day. But what if they don’t win a mouthwatering bird? What then? Flying turkey gizzards! Will the Moody family end up starving on T-day, like ye pilgrims of olde, or will Grandma Lou cook up a tasty Franksgiving solution?

Judy must turn her usual sour mood upside down and be happy and nice for a change.

Stink takes a star turn—and helps stave off cosmic calamity—in a new Judy Moody & Friends adventure just right for newly independent readers. Look up! Look out! A comet is coming, a comet is coming! Stink is camped out in the backyard with his sister, Judy, and he can’t wait to lay eyes on P/2015 OZ4, also known as the Sherman-Holm Comet. But then news of an asteroid hitting Russia reaches Stink, and suddenly he’s feeling squeamish (and squash-ish) about close encounters of the outer-space kind. Will donning an aluminum-foil cape and building a bunker in the basement help keep him safe? Can this fearless Asteroid Boy save Earth from disaster?

Amy Namey is chasing a news story in this Judy Moody® story for newly independent readers. Amy Namey, Ace Reporter, is on the hunt for a good news story. But not a lot happens in the town of Frog Neck Lake. So what’s a budding reporter to do? Team up with Judy Moody! With Judy along to sniff out a story, anything can happen. Like maybe a close encounter with the famed Great Virginia Sea Serpent, Taboo! Are Amy and Judy about to stumble upon the scoop of the century?

Frank Pearl is chasing a prize in this Judy Moody® story for newly independent readers. Just once, Frank Pearl would like to win at something! He is going to win a prize if it’s the last thing he does. Could an amazing yo-yo trick or Cookie the parrot land him a prize? Could a blue ribbon be his at the Great Third-Grade Breakfast Bash? With three shots at a prize and Judy Moody cheering him on (sort of?), there’s no way that Frank can miss out on a trophy this time.

Abracadabra! Kalamazoo! Rocky and Judy astound and amaze in the Greatest Backyard Magic Show on Earth! Rocky is perfecting the tricks for his magic show when Judy Moody offers to be his assistant. Rocky agrees, but it turns out that Judy — or Stella the Spectacular as she calls herself — is the most UN-spectacular assistant ever. When she gets ketchup all over the magic rabbit, the Amazing Mr. Magic has had enough! Is Rocky’s magic good enough to mend his and Judy’s friendship? From Megan McDonald comes a Judy Moody story just right for newly independent readers.

Pee! Gee! Wee! Gee! What’s that sound? With her birthday coming up, Jessica hopes that, just maybe, her present will be a real-live potbellied pig. Jessica can hardly wait for her party with Judy Moody and all their friends. But Judy Moody is acting like a pig-head, and Jessica UN-invites her from the party. To make matters worse, Jessica has snooped around the house and has found zero sign of a pig present. Could her birthday be any more of a disaster? Geared to newly independent readers, this story will have Judy Moody fans in pig heaven.

Amy Namey is chasing a news story in this Judy Moody® story for newly independent readers. Amy Namey, Ace Reporter, is on the hunt for a good news story. But not a lot happens in the town of Frog Neck Lake. So what’s a budding reporter to do? Team up with Judy Moody! With Judy along to sniff out a story, anything can happen. Like maybe a close encounter with the famed Great Virginia Sea Serpent, Taboo! Are Amy and Judy about to stumble upon the scoop of the century?

"The leaves are off the trees, and frost is on the ground. It's time for bugs to hunker down and hide out for the winter. But Ant isn't ready to hunker down. Ant isn't ready to be 'all by herself' for months on end. The thought of a long chilly season without her best friend, Honey Bee, is enough to make Ant shiver with dread. Can Ant brave the cold for one last surprise visit before the snow flies?"--Dust jacket flap.

Hold on to your umbrella and stock up on marshmallows — Judy and Stink face wicked weather in their third full-color adventure. Judy and Stink and the whole Moody family hunker down with beans and batteries, ready to wait out the storm. But along with massive rain and strong winds, Hurricane Elmer throws down ghosts, squirrels, and aliens. Spooky! Just when things couldn’t possibly get any freakier — flicker, flicker, gulp! — the lights go O-U-T out. The Moodys are smack-dab in the middle of a big bad blackout! Grandma Lou proposes musical board games and some good old-fashioned storytelling. Will Hurricane Elmer go down in Moody family history as bad news, a happy memory, or simply an LBS (Long Boring Story)?

Shark-tastic! Stink gets to sleep with the fishes after his parents win an aquarium sleepover. But wait — what’s that lurking beyond the KEEP OUT sign? When Stink’s parents win tickets for the whole family to sleep over at the aquarium (along with Stink’s two best friends), it sounds like a science freak’s dream come true. Stink loves the sea-creature scavenger hunt (Bat ray! Brain coral!), the jellyfish light show, and the shiver of sand tiger sharks with razor-sharp teeth. And of course Stink is nuts about gross stuff, but after some spooky stories around the virtual campfire, can he manage to fall asleep thinking about the eating habits of the vampire squid? Especially Bloody Mary, the mutant, glowing Frankensquid that’s supposed to be on the prowl?