Most Popular Books by Polly Horvath

Four sisters search for true family in this story of resilience by a Newbery Honor author. When the McCready sisters'' parents are washed away in a tsunami, their Great Aunt Martha volunteers to have them live with her on Pine Island in British Columbia. But while they are traveling there, Martha dies unexpectedly, forcing Fiona, the eldest, to come up with a scheme to keep social services from separating the girls - a scheme that will only work if no one knows they are living on their own. Fiona approaches their grouchy and indifferent neighbor Al and asks if he will pretend to be their live-in legal guardian should papers need to be signed or if anyone comes snooping around. He reluctantly agrees, under the condition that they bring him dinner every night. As weeks pass, Fiona takes on more and more adult responsibilities, while each of the younger girls finds their own special role in their atypical family. But even if things seem to be falling into place, Fiona is sure it''s only a matter of time before they are caught. Written in Polly Horvath''s inimitable style, gentle humor and tough obstacles are woven throughout this story about the bonds of sisterhood and what makes a family. Don’t miss the sequel, Pine Island Visitors, which Kirkus Reviews described as “terrifically entertaining” in a starred review. A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection A Bank Street Best Children''s Book of the Year

Love under trying circumstances One night out of the blue, Ratchet Clark''s ill-natured mother tells her that Ratchet will be leaving their Pensacola apartment momentarily to take the train up north. There she will spend the summer with her aged relatives Penpen and Tilly, inseparable twins who couldn''t look more different from each other. Staying at their secluded house, Ratchet is treated to a passel of strange family history and local lore, along with heaps of generosity and care that she has never experienced before. Also, Penpen has recently espoused a new philosophy – whatever shows up on your doorstep you have to let in. Through thick wilderness, down forgotten, bear-ridden roads, come a variety of characters, drawn to Penpen and Tilly''s open door. It is with vast reservations that the cautious Tilly allows these unwelcome guests in. But it turns out that unwelcome guests may bring the greatest gifts. By turns dark and humorous, Polly Horvath offers adolescent readers enough quirky characters and outrageous situations to leave them reeling! The Canning Season is the winner of the 2003 National Book Award for Young People''s Literature.

From Newbery Honor and National Book Award-winning author Horvath ("Everything on a Waffle" comes a magical novel, set during World War II on a farm on Vancouver Island, about a garden that grants wishes.

After living in the public library for the last eleven years, Essie must learn to adapt to a world that’s not as perfect as the stories she’s grown up with in this heartfelt middle grade novel from Newbery Honor author Polly Horvath. Essie has grown up in the public library, raised in secret by the four librarians who found her abandoned as a baby in the children’s department. With four mothers and miles of books to read, Essie has always been very happy living there. But now that she is eleven, Essie longs for a little more freedom . . . and maybe a friend her own age. She seems to get her wish when her moms let her go by herself to the mall. On her second trip there, she meets G.E., a mysterious boy who looks so much like her she can’t help but think they may be twins. Maybe he was raised by four dads in the appliance section of the department store. Maybe his story is intertwined with hers, and their happy ending is as one big family. But as she gets to know G.E. better, she learns that nothing is as simple as it seems in her stories—not even her own past. With her signature warmth and offbeat humor, Newbery Honor author Polly Horvath invites book lovers to sit back in their own library nooks and check out a whimsical adventure perfect for readers trying to find their place in the world.

In this beautiful follow-up to the highly acclaimed My One Hundred Adventures, Jane and her family have moved to Canada . . . but not for long. When her stepfather, Ned, is fired from his job as a high school French teacher (seems he doesn’t speak French), the family packs up and Jane embarks on a series of new adventures. At first, she imagines her family as a gang of outlaws, riding on horseback in masks, robbing trains, and traveling all the way to Mexico. But the reality is different: Setting off by car, they visit the tribe of Native Americans with whom Ned once lived, head to Las Vegas in search of Ned’s magician brother, and wind up spending the summer with his eccentric mother on her ranch out west. As Jane lives through it all—developing a crush on a ranch hand, reevaluating her relationship with Ned, watching her sister Maya’s painful growing up—she sees her world, which used to be so safe and secure, shift in strange and inconvenient ways.

By the Newbery Honor author, Polly Horvath, comes a sequel to her popular Pine Island Home about orphaned sisters who find a way to make a new family. Fiona, Marlin, Natasha, and Charlie McCready have been adopted by their unlikely guardian, Al, and finally settled into their new home on Pine Island in British Columbia. Then they receive a letter from Mrs. Witherspoon who took care of them after their parents died telling them that she is coming to visit for three months—an inordinate amount of time for a houseguest. Accommodating a fifth person in the tiny house is hard enough, but to their horror, Mrs. Weatherspoon arrives with a companion, her childhood friend, Jo. Jo has opinions about everything—what they should eat, how they should behave—and she doesn’t hesitate to express them. And sweet Mrs. Witherspoon seems to have fallen under her spell. When she and Jo announce that they are going to extend their stay even longer, Fiona and Marlin are beside themselves. Fiona hates rocking the boat, but there must be a way to get rid of these grown-up bullies so she and her sisters can have the life they wish to lead. A Kirkus Reviews'' Best Middle Grade Book of the Year

From the author of the Newbery Honor Book Everything on a Waffle When his mother decides on a whim to be a missionary in Africa and drags his unwilling father with her, Henry is left in the care of his Aunts Magnolia and Pigg. Henry''s sure they dislike him and he''s trying to keep his distance, but that becomes more difficult when Mag decides they should take a destination-less road trip. Mag, convalescing from an illness that makes her look like death, is downright crabby. Pigg, tense from driving, is becoming more assertive and less willing to submit to Mag''s whims. And while they poke each other – literally – Henry is finding it hard to keep his resolution. They go to Virginia Beach (it''s too hot); try camping in the Everglades (Henry accidentally spends four days floating in a swamp); visit their daddy, Henry''s granddaddy (Henry''s never met him!); and lose Pigg to love in Oklahoma (what would the radio psychologist Daly Kramer say?) before they finally receive word that Henry''s parents are coming back and will meet them in Tulsa to finish the trip with Mag and Henry. But his parents are bickering and Henry is in despair – until he surrenders to the road and decides to let whatever happens happen, but to be there in it all. Complete with her signature cast of eccentric characters, absurd situations, and heartfelt moments, Polly Horvath writes an on-the-road epic like no other!

Primrose Squarp doesn''t really believe that she''s an orphan, but the residents of Coal Harbour don''t agree. Eventually the town council is able to locate a relative, Uncle Jack, who reluctantly takes Primrose into his care.

What will it take to get Ernest to smile? Find out in Newbery Honor author Polly Horvath''s picture book debut. From the day he’s born, Ernest has few complaints. His family is lovely; the world has a lot to offer. He’d like there to be more elephants around, but hey, you can’t have everything. Ernest is just as happy as the next guy. The trouble is, everyone around him is obsessed with smiling. His parents smile when he learns to walk, when he learns to talk, when he learns to button up his snowsuit. But smiling just isn’t for Ernest, and they can’t let it go. When drastic, elephant-related measures are taken, and Ernest still doesn’t smile, the whole family learns that sometimes loving someone means meeting in the middle. Equal parts deadpan and genuine, Not a Smiley Guy is an ideal conversation starter for kids just discovering that we each have our own ways of showing how we feel. Readers who struggle to be understood will resonate with Ernest’s good-natured exasperation. Boris Kulikov’s textured, moody illustrations accompany National Book Award winner Polly Horvath’s sardonic tale of acceptance and intentional communication, as useful for grown-ups as it is for kids.

Ten-year-old Rupert Brown inadvertently finds himself spending Christmas with the wealthiest family in town and is astonished to discover a world he never knew existed. Rupert lives with his parents and many siblings in a small house in the poorest section of Steelville, Ohio. When he spends Christmas with his classmate Turgid Rivers, he is offered all the food he can eat, and the opportunity to win wonderful prizes in the family games—prizes he hopes to take home so he can share his Christmas bounty with his family. But after he loses everything in the last game, Rupert resigns himself to going home empty handed. Feeling secretly guilty, all of the adults in Rivers family try to make it up to him by taking Rupert on one unlikely adventure after another, embroiling him in everything from time travel to bank robberies. But can anything he experiences make up for what he has lost? Deftly blending magical realism with heartbreak, hope, and a wide cast of eccentric characters, Polly Horvath weaves a tale that is darkly funny and deeply poignant. Very Rich is a bittersweet and quirky story that celebrates the unique nature of human experience. A Junior Library Guild selection!

Laugh-out-loud stories within a story Aunt Sally is beyond any of Melissa, Amanda, and Pee Wee''s expectations. She has come all the way from Vancouver Island, Canada, to take care of the children while their parents are away, and right from the start Aunt Sally enchants them with tales of her childhood with their father. Odd characters figure largely in the stories, like Maud, a hunter rumored to have killed eighty cougars; Great-uncle Louis, a health nut who insists everyone should gnaw on sticks for extra fiber; and Fat Little Mean Girl, the star of a cautionary tale involving witchcraft and candy. All of Aunt Sally''s reminiscences lead up to a crucial story about trolls, sinister creatures who supposedly lurked along the shore at night. The trolls had the power to change Aunt Sally''s life forever, and their legacy may change the lives of the three present-day children as well.

THE WINNER OF a National Book Award, a Newbery Honor, and countless other awards has written her richest, most spirited book yet, filled with characters that readers will love, and never forget. Jane is 12 years old, and she is ready for adventures, to move beyond the world of her siblings and single mother and their house by the sea, and step into the “know-not what.” And, over the summer, adventures do seem to find Jane, whether it’s a thrilling ride in a hot-air balloon, the appearances of a slew of possible fathers, or a weird new friendship with a preacher and psychic wannabe. Most important, there’s Jane’s discovery of what lies at the heart of all great adventures: that it’s not what happens to you that matters, but what you learn about yourself. And don''t miss Polly Horvath''s Northward to the Moon, the sequel to My One Hundred Adventures.

When an accident leaves teenage cousins Meline and Jocelyn parentless, they come to live with their unknown and eccentric Uncle Marten on his private island. They soon discover that the island has a history as tragic as their own: it was once an air force training camp, led by a mad commander whose crazed plan to train pilots to fly airplanes without instruments sent eleven pilots to their deaths. Jocelyn, Meline, and Uncle Marten are soon joined on this island of wrecked planes and wrecked men by an elderly Austrian housekeeper, a very mysterious butler, a cat, and a dog. But to Jocelyn and Meline, being in a strange new place around strange new people only underscores the fact that the world they once knew has ended. Told in the alternating voices of four characters dealing with grief in different ways, Polly Horvath''s new novel is a rich and complicated story about loss and the possibility— and impossibility—of beginning again. The Corps of the Bare-Boned Plane is a 2008 Bank Street - Best Children''s Book of the Year.

A hilarious satire on small-town prejudice It all started with the Halibuts. Then came Elmira Degoochy the snake lady. Then the Flying Gambinis -- all seven of them and their mother. And Mrs. Harrison the fortune-teller, and Mr. Wydel the strongman . . . These are the new residents of Springfield, the formerly peaceful Midwestern town where up to now young Ivy''s life had been pretty uneventful. Ivy becomes fast friends with Alfred Halibut, who is an aspiring writer like herself and the son of a circus publicity manager. She also befriends the other circus people who have moved into town. But many of her neighbors are not feeling kindly about this invasion of strange characters. Tensions somersault into a climactic tangle at the Springfield bake-off. In the midst of hurtling pies, one voice alone can bring peace and tolerance back to the community. When the Circus Came to Town is Polly Horvath''s funniest novel to date, packed with vivid exaggeration and slapstick scenarios.

Whether it''s waking up to find toads in their shoes, becoming trapped on the roof, or searching for cheese when their cow makes only lemonade, the Pepin family always seem to get into the most bizarre scrapes. Lucky for them, they have an author with large psychic antennae and great problem-solving readers who can join the Pepins on their hilarious adventures. And they need all the help they can get!

From National Book Award winner Polly Horvath comes a hopping mad mystery that''s perfect for Easter baskets everywhere! In this hilarious chapter book mystery, meet a girl whose parents have been kidnapped by disreputable foxes, and a pair of detectives that also happen to be bunnies! When Madeline gets home from school one afternoon to discover that her parents have gone missing, she sets off to find them. So begins a once-in-a-lifetime adventure involving a cast of unforgettable characters. There''s Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, who drive a smart car, wear fedoras, and hate marmots; the Marmot, who loves garlic bread and is a brilliant translator; and many others. Translated from the Rabbit by Newbery Honor-winning author Polly Horvath, and beautifully illustrated by Caldecott Medal winner Sophie Blackall, here is a book that kids will both laugh over and love. "National Book Award-winner Polly Horvath''s latest, a rabbity romp complete with whimsical illustrations and a quirky cast of characters, has both the look and feel of a classic children''s book," raves The Washington Post.

Als die Eltern der McCready-Schwestern bei einem Tsunami ums Leben kommen, will Großtante Martha die Mädchen zu sich nehmen. Doch auch sie stirbt unerwartet. Völlig auf sich allein gestellt, hecken die Mädchen einen Plan aus, um ihr Zusammenleben nicht zu gefährden. Kann das gut gehen? Warmherzig und humorvoll zugleich schildert Polly Horvath in ihrem unnachahmlichen Stil die Abenteuer der vier mutigen Heldinnen.

Readers rejoice—Primrose Squarp is back! The wise and curious heroine of the Newbery Honor Book Everything on a Waffle is facing another adventure-filled year in Coal Harbor. Even though her parents, once lost at sea, are home, there’s a whole slew of problems and mysteries to keep Primrose—and eager fans—busy. There’s Uncle Jack and Kate Bowzer, who may (or may not) be in love. There’s Ked, a foster child who becomes Primrose’s friend. And there’s the new development on the outskirts of town that threatens the Coal Harbor Primrose knows and treasures. From National Book Award–winning author Polly Horvath comes a masterful sequel to a beloved novel, sure to please old fans and gain new ones. A perfect charmer…. Hilarious and touching.” —The Boston Globe “Nobody does middle grade like Horvath.” —The Horn Book Magazine

When father comes home with an expensive car in the middle of the Depression, Betty''s family is stunned, but meanwhile, Betty must find a dollar if she wants to be Pork-Fry Queen--and hidden treasure may be the solution.

Imogene is sent from New York City to spend the summer with her cousins on an Iowa farm.

From the pageantry of the Musical Ride to the movie-good looks of the fictional Dudley Do-Right, the image of the handsome and stalwart Mountie has long been part of popular North American culture. But there''s more to being a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police than wearing a red coat. It''s an important career law enforcement and public service. In M is for Mountie: A Royal Canadian Mounted Police Alphabet, award-winning author Polly Horvath explains the proud traditions and important work of Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Where do cadets go for training? Who is William Dempster and why is there a highway named after him? And what the reason for the red coat? After reading M is for Mountie, readers will have a better understanding of and appreciation for the history, heritage, and ongoing mission of Royal Canadian Mounted Police organization.Author Polly Horvath''s numerous books for children include the National Book Award-winning The Canning Season and Newbery Honor book Everything on a Waffle. Her books have received many honors and awards in the United States and Canada, including two Boston Globe Horn Book Award honors. She lives in Metchosin, British Columbia. Lorna Bennett attended Grant MacEwan Community College and the University of Alberta in the Arts/Fine Arts programs. She has worked as a ski instructor, designer, writer, illustrator, and animator. In addition to M is for Mountie, she also illustrated C is for Chinook: An Alberta Alphabet. Lorna lives in Edmonton, Alberta.

Stuck in bed with pneumonia, Ivy is delighted when the new neighbours arrive. and they are even better than she could have hoped, for the Halibuts are circus-people! Alfred Halibut is as dreamy and imaginative as Ivy herself, and she feels she has a real friend at last. The Halibuts are so happy in Springfield that they tell the rest of the circus - who move in, too. Soon the town has a snake lady taking her cobra for walks, and a troupe of acrobats whose ambition is to collect garages. The people of Springfield are not happy, and a perfectly polite anti-circus campaign is spreading through the town. Unless Ivy and Alfred can make everybody see sense, Ivy''s new friends will be forced to leave - she''s not letting that happen without a fight...

Der zehnjährige Rupert Brown möchte etwas Besonderes sein, wenn er erwachsen ist, damit er seiner Familie helfen kann – keine einfache Aufgabe, denn die Familie ist so arm, dass er keinen Mantel besitzt und er bei seinen zahlreichen Brüdern unter dem Bett schlafen muss. Doch an Weihnachten landet Rupert unverhofft im Haus von Turgid Rivers – dem reichsten Jungen der Stadt –und entdeckt dort eine ganz neue Welt. Er bekommt so viel zu essen angeboten, wie er möchte, tritt in zahllosen Spielen gegen die Familie Rivers an und gewinnt wunderbare Dinge, die er mit nach Hause nehmen will, damit es dort zum ersten Mal in seinem Leben Weihnachtsgeschenke gibt. Doch dann verliert Rupert das ganze angebotene Essen und die versprochenen Geschenke in einem letzten Spiel und muss mit leeren Händen heimkehren. Alle Mitglieder der Familie Rivers haben deswegen ein schlechtes Gewissen und versuchen, ohne Wissen der anderen, es auf ihre jeweils einzigartige Weise wiedergutzumachen. Sie beteiligen Rupert an unglaublichen Abenteuern, in denen beispielsweise ein Banküberfall und eine Zeitreise in einem Pappkarton eine Rolle spielen.

Hortense worries that her family is falling apart, but as she gets to know her Aunt Kate and makes a new friend, she discovers that change isn''t always bad.

榮獲美國國家圖書獎最佳青少年文學、美國圖書館協會青少年十大選書等多項大獎 一本幻想與現實緊密交織、令人難以忘懷的小說 認識人的不盡完美，讓傷痛癒合，內心獲得平靜 寂寞又沒有朋友的瑞琪．克拉克與對她漠不關心的媽媽杭莉葉住在佛羅里達州的潘薩鎮。一天晚上，在沒有事先告知的情況下，杭莉葉把女兒送上火車，讓瑞琪跟兩位九十一歲的年邁雙胞胎姨婆——緹莉與潘潘共度一個夏天。 兩位姨婆住在緬因州一處極為偏遠的地方，那裡熊四處出沒，許多人葬身熊口，過著飽受威脅的生活。瑞琪在這裡與舉止怪異、行徑離奇的姨婆們同住，聽了很多家族中恐怖至極但卻充滿黑色幽默的故事，同時她也頭一回體驗到一些關愛與照顧。另一個失去雙親的女孩哈波不久後便跟瑞琪一起生活在那裡。 四位不僅個性迥異，而且年齡相差甚遠。但共同之處在於，她們都被母親拋棄，童年也都混亂不堪。發生於這個大宅子的故事影響了緹莉與潘潘的人生，她們個人的歷史又將如何影響瑞琪與哈波的未來？即將迫近的裝罐季節暗喻了每個生命當中一切事物成熟的時機，女孩們能否活出各自的人生呢？ 在真實的世界裡，不是所有人都有完美的母親和美好的童年。有的話固然幸福，但如果沒有，也並非什麼人生悲劇，我們依然能夠自由選擇自己想要的生活。透過本書去認識人的不盡完美，不懷怨懟，讓傷痛癒合，內心獲得平靜。 【本書關鍵字】 尋找自我、荒誕喜劇、裝罐季節、多代同堂、改變人生、失職母親、藍莓、裝罐季節、森林、農場 【本書資料】 無注音 適讀年齡：10歲以上 【本書特色】 1. 運用對比手法，凸顯人事物的優缺點 故事角色不僅個性迥異，年齡也相差甚大，在對比之下產生衝突，更顯張力。但衝突之後，則是角色之間的妥協或自我調適，使得故事有了圓滿的結局。 2. 傳遞心靈力量：盡力做最好的自己 不要因童年的悲慘經歷而自暴自棄，我們依然可以在人生之路上找到自我，依然能夠自由選擇自己想要的生活，依然可以去溫暖別人。你的存在並不是因為有人愛你，而是因為你是你自己。 3. 在荒唐喜劇中融合重要議題 本書不乏驚世駭俗的情節，在看似極端荒誕不經的氛圍中，激發讀者提問和思考，往內心深處搜尋答案，積極活出自己的人生。 得獎紀錄 ★美國國家圖書獎最佳青少年文學 ★美國圖書館協會青少年十大選書 ★加拿大圖書館協會年度青少年讀物獎 ★文化部優良讀物推介 ★「好書大家讀」選書 ★臺北市國小兒童深耕閱讀計畫好書 ★「教育部國民中小學新生閱讀推廣計畫」推薦選書入選書單 推薦書評 何華絲這個故事比她過去所有作品更為優秀……讀來猶如一本幻想與現實緊密交織的荒唐故事。瑞琪、緹莉與潘潘也正如荒唐的故事那樣，變得更超群不凡與難以忘懷。讀者翻開本書的時候，必將展開一段充滿智慧、滑稽又瘋癲可笑的旅程。——美國《學校圖書館期刊》 本書故事爆笑而感人，其成就甚或超越了何華絲二○○一年的作品Everything on a Waffle。故事是關於兩個沒人要的女生被送到兩個怪異的老太太家撫養……何華絲再一次展現天分，創造出多代同堂且有趣的大家庭，而且將滑稽和高雅喜劇融合到一個充滿了重要議題和改變人生事件的故事中。——美國《柯克斯書評》 波莉．何華絲的最新作品絕不墨守成規，它完全無法預測，也令人難以忘懷……何華絲的描摹能力與眾不同……她那瘋癲、不受羈絆的機智簡直誘人，她說故事的技巧臻於化境……——美國《出版人週刊》 兩位女生有如三明治中的夾餡，而這個三明治不只情節陰暗且諷刺，大部分篇幅充斥著各種大人的問題。本書的讀者是否能夠欣賞這兩位姐妹故事的特質和其中闡述的真理呢？——美國《書單》雜誌

Literature’s most endearing rabbits are back in this sequel to Mr. and Mrs. Bunny — Detectives Extraordinaire! While the Bunnys'' human friend, Madeline, worries about saving money for college, Mrs. Bunny is more concerned about how to become a queen. Unexpectedly, Madeline’s family inherits a sweet shop (candy store!) in England, and it looks for a while as if everyone’s problems are solved. England proves to be full of eccentric characters, strange customs, and even royalty — but holding onto money is difficult for Madeline’s family, and becoming a queen proves harder than Mrs. Bunny had expected. Lord and Lady Bunny is written by Mr. and Mrs. Bunny,* translated from the Rabbit by multi-award-winning author Polly Horvath, and beautifully illustrated by Sophie Blackall. It’s a sequel that children will laugh over and love. * Mr. and Mrs. Bunny lives in Rabbitville in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. They have twelve children.

Los padres de Meline y Jocelyn murieron en un accidente y las chicas tienen que ir a vivir a la isla de su tío Marten, a quien no conocen hasta ese momento. Allí aprenderán, entre otras cosas, a sobrellevar su pérdida y a convivir con nuevos afectos. Tomado de: http://bit.ly/2rSVLs2.

Shortlisted for the CLA Book of the Year for Children Award and the IODE Violet Downey Book Award. Selected for the Bankstreet College of Education''s Best Children’s Books of the Year 2013. Readers rejoice -- Primrose Squarp is back! The wise and curious heroine of the Newbery Honor Book Everything on a Waffle is facing another adventure-filled year in Coal Harbour. Even though her parents, once lost at sea, are home, there''s a whole slew of problems and mysteries to keep Primrose -- and eager fans -- busy. There''s Uncle Jack and Kate Bowzer, who may (or may not) be in love. There''s Ked, a foster child, who becomes Primrose''s friend. And there''s the new development on the outskirts of town that threatens the Coal Harbour Primrose knows and treasures. Prolific and brilliant, Horvath has delivered a masterful sequel to a beloved novel, sure to please old fans and gain new ones.

Thirteen-year-old Ratchet spends a summer in Maine with her eccentric great-aunts Tilly and Penpen, hearing strange stories from the past and encountering a varitey of unusual and colorful characters.