Elinor Malcolm is an eleven-year-old girl whose mother has big plans for her. When Elinor is rejected as a ballet student from a prestigious ballet academy, her attorney mother threatens a lawsuit, and Elinor is granted a spot in the program &– the only problem is that Elinor has no interest in ballet. After sitting out the first class, she finds an urban park to hang out at in lieu of dancing. There she meets an older girl named Indira with a seemingly magic ability to grant Elinor's wishes. Eventually, Elinor is found out. She is unceremoniously dropped from the program and returns to her humdrum life where she's miserable and friendless. Indira reappears out of the blue one day and helps her look deep inside to find out what she's capable of. Eventually, through Indira's intercession and a chance meeting with a local writer, Elinor opens up enough to make a friend at school who enjoys all the same things she does. In the final magical scene, all the characters in Elinor's life converge where secret identities are revealed and Elinor has an epiphany about the nature of relationships and the power of love.

Perfect for middle grade summer reading lists and Mother/Daughter book clubs. "Beautifully written" - Kristi Yamaguchi, Olympic gold medalist and New York Times best-selling author "Highly recommended" - Penny Warner, author of the Agatha Award-winning Code Busters Club series "The perfect books for Mother/Daughter Book Clubs!" - Liz Epstein, founder of Literary Masters Eleven-year-old Elinor Malcolm just wants to be normal. Lonely, she goes in search of her best self and a best friend. In Elinormal, her bossy mom threatens to sue if Elinor is not granted a spot in a prestigious ballet academy. The problem is, Elinor has no interest in ballet. While sitting out the first class in an area park she meets Indira who helps her realize that she is a capable and kind individual. Elinor opens up and makes a friend at school who enjoys all the same things she does. The people in her life finally converge-secret identities are revealed, and Elinor has an epiphany about the nature of relationships and the power of love. In New Girl: The Further Adventures of Elinormal, Elinor is ready for the first day of seventh grade when a last-minute phone call turns her world upside down. She misses the first week of school and when she gets back she's called "the new girl" even though she's not. Elinor quickly learns that people are complicated and relationships take work. Lots of work. As she discovers who she is, who she wants to be, and what she wants most in life, she struggles to balance friendships, both old and new, while also unraveling her mother's mysterious past. Both of these delightful books explore the complexity of friendships, the reality of disappointments, and the trouble with secrets.

As she struggles to connect with her hardworking lawyer mother, eleven-year-old Elinor happily leaves ballet to pursue her love of writing poetry.

We notice life A tree, a blossom, a buzzing bee We are all connected Elinor Malcolm is ready for the first day of seventh grade, when a last-minute phone call turns her world upside down, and she misses the first week of school. When she returns, she's known as the new girl, even though she's not. In this sequel to Elinormal, Elinor learns all too quickly that people are complicated and relationships take work. Lots of work. As she's discovering who she is, who she wants to be, and what she wants most in life, Elinor is balancing friendships, old and new. She's also unraveling her mother's mysterious past. New Girl further explores the complexity of friendships, the reality of disappointments, and the trouble with secrets.

Caught spray-painting the F word on his Chicago high school after his community activist father's arrest, sophomore Cole Renner is sentenced to write two poems a week and uses his words to fight for justice for his father, for himself, for his best friend, and for his fellow students.

There's a monster in Dave's basement! His name is Howard and he's very hungry. Howard invites Dave to dinner. But will Dave eat dinner or BE dinner? The thought makes Dave shake a little bit, shake a little bit, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake. Has Dave made a big mistake? This heartwarming story about friendship and first impressions began as a song. The music and lyrics are included in the book, and a QR code invites readers to join the author in a rousing rendition of the clever song that gets kids up and shake-shake-shaking!

When Hannah G. Solomon looked around Chicago, the city where she was born, she saw unfairness all around her. Many people were poor and living in terrible conditions. Immigrants from other countries struggled to survive in their new home. Hannah decided to help change that. When she grew up, she founded the National Council of Jewish Women—the first organization to unite Jewish women around the country—and fought to make life better for others, especially women and children, in Chicago and beyond.