Most Popular Books by Rodman Philbrick

A thrilling historical adventure by the master of adventure himself, Rodman Philbrick. It''s Maine, 1924, and the Ku Klux Klan is on the rise. Davy and Jo Michaud have been recently orphaned. Taken in by a distant relative—a famous aviator—they are now working with a group of stunt pilots who spend their time wing walking, leaping from plane to plane, and flying through fireworks! But though the stunts are dangerous, the real threat is building behind the scenes. The KKK is on the rise in Maine that summer, inspired by the racial fears promoted in Birth of a Nation. They spew hatred of immigrants, Blacks, Jews, and French Catholics—that last, a rage that will be directed at Davy and Jo. When Davy and Jo cross paths with the Klan, they get tangled up in a terrible revenge plan, and held as hostages. Can they escape with their lives?

Newbery Honor author Rodman Philbrick sends readers rushing down a raging river on a life-or-death adventure when a white water rafting trip goes terribly wrong! Daniel Redmayne is fast asleep on the first night of a white water rafting trip, when he''s awoken by screams. The dam has failed. The river is surging, and their camp will be under water in a matter of moments.As the shrieking roar of the river rushes closer, the kids scramble to higher ground. They make it; their counselors do not.Now they''re on their own, with barely any food or supplies, in the middle of the Montana wilderness. Do Daniel and his four classmates have what it takes to stay alive until they can get rescued? Alone in the wild, they forge powerful bonds -- but develop dangerous disagreements. If nature doesn''t break them, they might just destroy each other.This gripping survival story from the Newbery Honor author of Wildfire is filled with adrenaline-pumping adventure and moments of true bravery.

Roy and his big brother, Joe, are on the run from their past. When they fetch up at the Bar None ranch their shared passion for horses soon wins them great respect, and Roy is offered the chance of a lifetime – to break in a wild pony that runs like the desert wind. He is even promised that if he can ride Lady Luck, he can keep her – a dream come true. But Roy knows that Joe has a dangerous secret... a dark obsession that could explode at any time and send Roy’s dream, and their whole world, up in smoke. Full of rich detail of life in the American west, Fire Pony is an emotionally charged thriller by the internationally acclaimed author, Rodman Philbrick.

A story of determination and survival from the acclaimed author of FREAK THE MIGHTY. "This thrilling and elegant book ... will hold the interest of even the most stalwart landlubber." -- PWTwelve-year-old Skiff Beaman''s mom just died, and his fisherman dad is too depressed to drag himself off the couch and go to work. So these days Skiff has to take care of everything himself. But when his dad''s boat sinks, Skiff discovers it will cost thousands to buy a new engine. Skiff''s lobster traps won''t earn him enough, but there are bigger fish in the sea -- bluefin tuna. If he can catch one of those monster fish, Skiff just might save the boat -- and his family.

This fast-paced action novel is set in a future where the world has been almost destroyed. Like the award-winning novel Freak the Mighty, this is Philbrick at his very best.It''s the story of an epileptic teenager nicknamed Spaz, who begins the heroic fight to bring human intelligence back to the planet. In a world where most people are plugged into brain-drain entertainment systems, Spaz is the rare human being who can see life as it really is. When he meets an old man called Ryter, he begins to learn about Earth and its past. With Ryter as his companion, Spaz sets off an unlikely quest to save his dying sister -- and in the process, perhaps the world.

Where anything is real, and everything is about to disappear... Arthur''s mom tried hard, but sometimes she had no idea what her son was thinking, or why the only thing that made him happy was food, more food. Endless supplies of food, glorious food. "Did you have a nice birthday, dear?" she asked. "Was the cake big enough?" But Arthur didn''t answer because he wasn''t listening. He was thinking about his new miracle weight-loss device. If only it would work! If only he really could go to sleep fat and wake up thin! On the way out of the kitchen, Arthur snagged eleven Oreo cookies and slipped them into his overu00adsized pockets. Just for luck. Then he headed down the cellar stairs into the deep, dark basement. And his life, and the world, and the universe would never be the same again. Award-winning novelist Rodman Philbrick challenges the boundaries of time and place in this exciting fantasy. "Harry Potter fans will recognize the misfit hero in a strange, new world." - Booklist Philbrick’s children''s book Freak the Mighty was the basis of a Golden Globe-nominated Sharon Stone movie titled simply The Mighty.

A haunted house continues its quest for vengeance on two young children After surviving the wrath of the house that wants them dead, Jason and his four-year-old sister, Sally, face a new challenge—a week without their mom and dad. When their parents are called away to deal with a work crisis, they are left with Katie, a seventeen-year-old babysitter. Katie doesn’t believe in spirits, but that doesn’t matter to Bobby, the ghost of the child who was murdered here. Bobby has become closer than ever to Sally—in fact, he now possesses her. And his hatred of babysitters and desire for vengeance will leave Jason, Sally, and Katie in even more danger than before. The Horror is the second book of the chilling House on Cherry Street trilogy from prolific wife-and-husband coauthors Lynn Harnett and Rodman Philbrick, the Newbery Honor Award–winning author of Freak the Mighty.

In this page-turning adventure by Newbery Honor author Rodman Philbrick, a solar event knocks out our planet''s electricity, and a boy must risk his life to save his sick mother. What would you do if every spark of electricity suddenly vanished, as if somebody had flipped a switch on the entire planet? Cars won''t start, the heat shuts off, there''s no water in your faucet, and your radio, TV, and flashlight go dark. Everyone in Charlie''s small town is baffled. But as time passes, lawlessness erupts and takes an ugly turn. When the market and pharmacy are torched by an anti-Semitic arsonist, Charlie realizes his mother will die without her medicine. So he dons skis and heads off alone, seeking the nearest hospital. After traveling 50 miles through brutal ice and snow, Charlie encounters a burned-out, looted city of terrified citizens. Will he be able to save his mom?Heroic, eloquent, and unforgettable, The Big Dark raises timely questions about responsibility, tolerance, and love.

Born human and raised as a wolf—but forever destined to be a monster Abandoned as a child, Gruff is taken in and raised by a Wolfmother. She teaches him to survive in the wild—and to be wary of the Legwalkers. When a chance encounter brings Gruff near humans again, he wants to know more about this world to which he no longer belongs. But as he soon discovers, he doesn’t really fit in with the wolves either. As Gruff feels his body change into that of a monster—and hears the evil call coming from others like him—he knows it’s time to face the terrible truth about himself.

Another WILD adventure from Rodman Philbrick, author of Wildfireand Wild River. Wild Wave is the adventure of two kids trapped in the aftermath of a tsunami. It''s kids vs. nature in another edge-of-your seat read! When a tsunami heads for the coast, Nick Chase and Jess Hardy have to run. They make it into the woods above the bay--only to see the sea flooding their whole neighborhood along the shore. Destroying everything. In the broken landscape that''s left behind, the two must try to find their way to safety. But when they come across a stranded elderly couple, it''s up to Nick and Jess to work together and get help so that they can all make it out alive. This is another gripping environmental survival story from the Newbery Honor author of Wildfire and Wild River.

A companion to Newbery Honor winning author Rodman Philbrick''s Freak the Mighty. This is the dramatic, heart-wrenching tale of Max and Worm, two outsiders who turn to each other for survival. Meet Maxwell Kane, the brooding giant-of-a-boy who escaped from his basement hiding place and faced the real world in FREAK THE MIGHTY.Still grieving over the loss of his best friend, Kevin, Max finds himself defending a young, solitary girl cruelly nicknamed "Worm" because she loves to read so much.When Max gets blamed for a horrific crime, he and Worm are forced to run for their lives. They flee across America -- hunted by the police, and pursued by the mysterious man known as the Undertaker. The only way they can survive is to confront Worm''s darkest and most revealing secret. And that means facing something more frightening than death itself.

Mandy Durgin and Luke Ingram are convinced that aliens are causing their memory blackouts and disappearances, and they must resist their captors before it''s too late.

In the year 1860, young Dr. Davis Bentwood believes he understands the world thanks to the transcendental philosophy of Ralph Waldo Emerson. But then a series of bizarre accidents tears apart a family in the weeks before the onset of the Civil War.

"Soon we will eat the frozen cattle.... And then, when that is gone, what shall we eat?Shall we eat the snow? Shall we eat the ice? Shall we eat the bark on the frozen trees?What shall we eat?"Spring, 1846: Douglas Allen Deeds dreams of starting a new life out West. When the opportunity to join the Donner Party Expedition arises, he leaves the life he''s known behind to set out on the nearly 2,000-mile trek from Independence, Missouri to sunny California.But progress is slow. Brutal heat, poisoned water, and rough terrain slows the expedition down. Soon they have a choice: continue on the known but grueling trail, or take a shortcut that would cut 350 miles from their journey-but take them through unknown territory. Is it worth the risk?Winter comes quickly in the mountains, and the wrong choice could leave them stranded in the Sierra Mountains when the snow comes, with no shelter, supplies, or even food.Newbery Honor-winning author Rodman Philbrick brings to life the excitement, danger, and horrors of the Donner Party''s journey west.

Skiff Beaman has a problem. A BIG problem. He needs to fix up his family''s fishing boat, but to do that he needs money. A whole heap of money. His father isn''t going to help – he can''t see further than the next can of beer since Skiff''s mother died – and nor is his classmate, Tyler, inventor of the nickname "Lobster Boy". But Skiff can still hear his mother''s voice telling him "Never give up". So he comes up with a plan. It''s crazy, it''s dangerous, and it''s going to take all Skiff''s grit and strength to win a great battle against the sea. An inspirational and compelling action-packed tale by the internationally bestselling author, Rodman Philbrick.

Max is used to being called Stupid. And he is used to everyone being scared of him. On account of his size and looking like his dad. Kevin is used to being called Dwarf. And he is used to everyone laughing at him. On account of his size and being some cripple kid. But greatness comes in all sizes, and together Max and Kevin become Freak The Mighty and walk high above the world. An inspiring, heartbreaking, multi-award winning international bestseller.

A vacation house has a terrifying past—one that only the children know about Jason, his little sister, Sally, and his parents plan to spend the summer in the perfect seaside vacation home. But as soon as Jason steps onto the porch, icy air grips him, and he feels the stare of an invisible being. Although he can’t explain it, he knows that in this house, children are not welcome. Jason soon meets Steve, a friendly kid who teases him about the so-called haunted house and the witch who used to live there. Jason tries to ignore him, but he’s pretty sure there’s truth to the spooky tale. Especially when he meets the pale figure of a child in the house . . . The Haunting is the first book of the chilling House on Cherry Street trilogy from prolific wife-and-husband coauthors Lynn Harnett and Rodman Philbrick, the Newbery Honor Award–winning author of Freak the Mighty.

Can Nick and Frasier save Jessie from becoming the aliens’ next victim? Nick, Jessie, and Frasier are three ordinary kids with one extraordinary problem: Their parents’ brains have been taken over by aliens! The three thought they had beaten the extraterrestrials for good, but now they’re back and more terrifying than ever. All the adults in town are now mindless servants to the invaders, and the kids have no idea how to wake them up. It’s three twelve-year-olds against an army. When Jessie is kidnapped, Nick and Frasier will stop at nothing to save her before she becomes the newest slave. But how can they save Jessie when they can’t even save themselves? Nick and Frasier know that the aliens’ nest is hidden deep in Harley Hill—and once they go in, they may never come out.

A Newbery Honor Book, this warm, funny, & heart-wrenching Civil War novel introduces readers to the Battle of Gettysburg & "Little Round Top," one of the most famous feats of bravery in U.S. history! In this emotive, Newbery Honor-winning page-turner, 12 year-old orphan Homer runs away from Pine Swamp, Maine, to find his older brother, Harold, who has been sold into the Union Army. With laugh-aloud humor, Homer outwits and outruns a colorful assortment of Civil War-era thieves, scallywags, and spies as he makes his way south, following clues that finally lead him to the Battle of Gettysburg and the dramatic story of the 20th Maine at Little Round Top. Even through a hail of gunfire, Homer never loses heart--but will he find his brother? Or will it be too late?With engaging wit and comical repartee reminiscent of Mark Twain, master storyteller Rodman Philbrick introduces us to the unforgettable character of Homer in this groundbreaking historical novel.The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!

Author Rodman Philbrick writing as Chris Jordan "...a single mother''s terrifying fight...will send chills up your spine." New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry I''ve seen pictures of guys like this, snipers or SWAT guys or whatever. Never expected to see one of them in my own house, a living nightmare perched on my favorite chair. No parent believes it can happen to them—their child taken from a suburban schoolyard in the gentle hours of dusk. But as widowed mother Kate Bickford discovers, everything can change in the blink of an eye. One minute her lanky, amazing, maddening Tommy is begging for ice cream. Then in a terrible instant, he''s gone. Opening the door to her Connecticut home, hoping to find her son, Kate comes face-to-face with her son''s abductor. He wants money. All she has. And if she doesn''t follow something he calls The Method, the consequences will be gruesome. Her comfortable life collapses as precious seconds tick by, and Kate is horrified to uncover the terrible, world-shattering secret she and her son share with a killer who will stop at nothing.... “Jordan''s full-throttle style makes this an emotionally rewarding thriller that moves like lightning."—Publishers Weekly

Thirteen-year-old Sam Castine is at summer camp while his mother is in rehab, but when the camp is evacuated ahead of a fast moving wildfire, he makes the mistake of going back for his phone, and finds himself left behind, disoriented, and running for his life, together with a girl, Delphy, from a different camp--finding an old jeep keeps them going, but in the wilds of Maine, there are only logging roads and the deadly crown fire is everywhere.

HERE ARE THE FACTS For the parents whose children have been taken, for the broken lives we piece back together one relentless investigation at a time, our town house is a sanctuary. My name is Alice Crane. I''m just one of a talented team working for Naomi Nantz, the brilliant and very private detective. Today that sanctuary was violated. The famous kid-finder Randall Shane was taken away by unknown assailants, possibly government agents. Shane''s client is dead, and a boy known as "the keyboard kid" is missing. What is the boy''s connection to a top secret physics lab? Unknown—for now. But under Naomi''s lead, we will infiltrate every illicit boardroom and bedroom and war room. We''ll find that little boy or die trying. The only thing guaranteed in this life is that Naomi Nantz won''t give up. Not now, not ever. "Filled with page-turning suspense and intrigue that keeps you guessing to the end” —Rick Mofina, bestselling author of In Desperation "Jordan''s full-throttle style makes this an emotionally rewarding thriller that moves like lightning." —Publishers Weekly on Taken

When their classmates are kidnapped, Nick, Jessie, and Frasier must defeat the aliens once and for all Nick, Jessie, and Frasier have managed to escape the clutches of slimy alien invaders—only to be taken prisoner by their own parents. The extraterrestrials are controlling the minds of all the adults in town, and the trio is now under house arrest. With locks on their doors and windows, and aliens watching their every move, Nick, Jessie, and Frasier don’t think it could get any worse . . . until they realize they’ll be forced to go to summer school! The three kids know they have to get away before the aliens take over their minds too. But why have their parents been targeted? And why are all the adults doing so much digging? Nick, Jessie, and Frasier must rush to discover the truth about the invasion before the aliens can complete their evil plans. It’s not just their lives on the line—it’s the life of the entire town.

Two children face the terrors of a house that wants them dead Can Jason and Sally survive the evil spirits in the house on Cherry Street until their parents return? Jason looks for clues to the house’s mysterious history—especially the “accidental” fall that killed Bobby, the ghost who still fears his terrifying nanny and whose body was never found. Maybe if Jason and his sister can right the wrongs of the past, the house will no longer be haunted. But that means they’ll have to go back inside . . . The Final Nightmare is the concluding book of the chilling House on Cherry Street trilogy from prolific wife-and-husband coauthors Lynn Harnett and Rodman Philbrick, the Newbery Honor Award–winning author of Freak the Mighty.

When humans rescued the wolf-boy, they were unaware of the danger it would put them in Saved from the werewolves who want him to join them, Gruff is taken in by a family of normal humans. He is fond of Paul and his sister, Kim, remembering the kind of sibling bond he once had with the wolf pups. He tries to behave like a normal boy, eating with utensils and attending school, but he knows there are only a few weeks left before the next full moon and the change he’s bound to endure. Trying to resist the pull of the wereing—the transformation into full werewolf—Gruff must hide when the moon transforms him. But his change is not the only danger that lurks in the small town of Fox Hollow, a place full of people who don’t believe in monsters—even when the monsters lurk among them.