It’s not easy being a baby-sitter when you’re playing detective, too! Katie thought baby-sitting would be fun! Katie was thrilled when Mrs. Stellan called and asked her to baby-sit for the evening. She had never done any baby-­sitting before, but she was sure she could take care of three-year-old Annie. After all, Katie had watched her brother plenty of times. This would give her some real job experience—and she'd be paid for it, too! But Katie's first baby-sitting job doesn't turn out the way she'd planned. Something is missing from the Stellans' house, and though it wasn't her fault, Katie's sure everybody's blaming her. It's bad enough that hardly anyone believes her—but now mean Michelle is telling everyone at school what happened. Katie knows she's got to get to the bottom of the mystery soon. Because if she doesn't, she may never be hired as a baby-sitter again! "...the clues are well placed, the pace is lively, and the characters nicely realized. Tolles also integrates a warm boy-girl relationship for added appeal." —Booklist

When several pieces of valuable jewelry disappear during Katie's first babysitting job, she finds that she must discover the explanation to clear her own name.

When several pieces of valuable jewelry disappear during Katie's first babysitting job, she finds that she must discover the explanation to clear her own name.

The perfect gift, this book is not a how-to guide. It won't tell you how to get your baby to sleep, how to deal with toddler tantrums, how to be a good parent, a cool parent, or even a renegade parent. It's a book about parenting that contains absolutely no useful advice whatsoever. Instead, Hurrah for Gin shares beautifully honest anecdotes and illustrations from the parenting front line that demonstrate it is perfectly possible to love your children with the whole of your heart while finding them incredibly irritating at the same time. From pregnancy to starting school, Hurrah for Gin takes you through the exciting, frustrating, infuriating, and wonderful whirlwind of parenthood, offering solidarity and a friendly hug after a tough day. Best served with gin.

It’s not easy being the only girl on the block. Such a nice neighborhood for raising boys! Boys are the last thing Katie Hart wants moving in next door. Especially when she already has a pesty neighbor like Will Madison. Her two broth­ers and all their friends are nothing compared to him. Will does everything he can to make Katie's life miserable. A wrecked garden, a FOR SALE sign in front of her house, a make-believe ghost—all add up to Will Madison. Katie's had all she can take from those boys. Now it's her turn to get even. "A humorous, fast-moving story which will appeal to readers who enjoy the Beverly Cleary and Carolyn Haywood books."—School Library Journal

NOMINATED FOR MULTIPLE STATE AWARDS! Calling all Raina Telgemeier fans! Introducing an irresistible new middle-grade graphic novel series about growing up, friendship, heroes, and cats (lots of cats!)--perfect for fans of Guts, Awkward and Real Friends (not to mention anyone who loves cats!) “Readers will revel in the heroic antics.” --The New York Times Katie is dreading the boring summer ahead while her best friends are all away at camp--something that's way out of Katie and her mom's budget, UNLESS Katie can figure out a way to earn the money for camp herself. But when Katie gets a job catsitting for her mysterious upstairs neighbor, life get interesting. First, Madeline has 217 cats (!) and they're not exactly . . . normal cats. Also, why is Madeline always out EXACTLY when the city's most notorious villain commits crimes?! Is it possible that Katie's upstairs neighbor is really a super villain? Can Katie wrangle a whole lot of wayward cats, save a best friendship (why is Beth barely writing back? And who's this boy she keeps talking about?!), AND crack the biggest story in the city's history? Some heroes have capes . . . Katie has cats! Don't miss the next Katie the Catsitters—Katie the Catsitter 2: Best Friends for Never and Katie the Catsitter 3: Secrets and Sidekicks! A Florida Sunshine State Reader Award nominee A South Carolina Book Award nominee A Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award nominee A Vermont Golden Dome Book Award nominee A Maine Student Book Award nominee A North Carolina Children's Book Award nominee An Indiana Young Hoosier Book Award nominee An Illinois Bluestem Readers’ Choice nominee And more!