The big piano recital is coming up soon, and Rosie feels anything but ready—“captures the down-to-earth rhythms of suburban life, spiced with humor” (Kirkus Reviews). Even though Rosie has only nine fingers, she’s always managed well. Until now. For some reason, she can’t master the piano solo she’s been rehearsing for the annual recital. It’s called “The Dance of the Dinosaurs,” and it’s hard! As the recital draws near, Rosie is desperate. Why does everything seem so much more difficult now? Is it because she misses her father? Since he moved to Milwaukee to take a new job, Rosie’s been miserable, and her mother has been acting kind of strange. Or is Rosie having trouble because she’s worried about the burglar who’s been secretly visiting her house? Then, too, there’s Mary Jean, the new girl in town. Not only is she rich and pretty, but she plays the piano beautifully. In the weeks before the recital, Rosie fights some hard battles. To her surprise, she discovers that having nine fingers isn’t such a bad thing after all.

Everything you need to create exciting thematic science units can be found in these handy guides. Developed for educators who want to take an integrated approach, these teaching kits contain resource lists, reading selections, and activities that can be easily pulled together for units on virtually any science topic. Arranged by subject, each book lists key scientific concepts for primary, intermediate, and upper level learners and links them to specific chapters where resources for teaching those concepts appear. Chapters identify and describe comprehensive teaching resources (nonfiction) and related fiction reading selections, then detail hands-on science and extension activities that help students learn the scientific method and build learning across the curriculum. A final section helps you locate helpful experiment books and appropriate journals, Web sites, agencies, and related organizations.

This book, by Beauchamp, Chung, Mogilner and Svetlana Zakinova examines how authors have used characters with disabilities to elicit emotional reactions in readers; additionally, how writers use disabilities to present individuals as "the other" rather than simply as people. Finally, the book discusses how literature has changed, or is changing, with regards to its presentation of those with a disability.

Each of these volumes explores five popular genres and shows how they can be used to promote learning in the library and classroom. After introductory discussions of each genre, McElmeel recommends books, gives lists of related titles, and provides a variety of ideas for genre-related activities that complement classroom thematic units. Grades 4-

From award-winning author Janeen Brian and award-winning illustrator Ann James, comes this gorgeous rhyming picture book about a naughty little dinosaur who loves to get dirty. Bright simple illustrations and rounded corners perfect for the very young. Stomp, splash, slide, dive . . . . This little dinosaur just loves mud!

Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for . . . “An adventure story with a hint of the supernatural . . . full of action and suspense” (School Library Journal). Most years Corby likes summer vacation, but not now. He’s stuck at his grandparents’ house in Wisconsin, where his grandfather constantly reminds him how timid he is and how different his father was at his age. And his new friend Buck seems to think he’s chicken, too, just because he’d rather be sensible than risk getting hurt. To prove he’s tough, Corby joins Buck for a nighttime journey into the woods to find the Wish Master, a fierce, giant statue that is rumored to grant wishes. Soon it seems as if the Wish Master does have special powers—though it doesn’t always get things exactly right. When Corby wishes for a puppy, a mangy stray comes into his life. He soon grows attached to the loyal mutt. Then the dog gets Corby in big trouble, and Corby decides it’s time to wish for what he really wants: to go home. But will this wish bring more harm than good?

Jenny’s new house has an unwanted ghost: “Readers will enjoy the imaginative pranks of the specter and the resourceful way [Jenny] solves her problem” (School Library Journal). Jenny knows she should be excited about the beautiful old house that her mother has inherited from Miss Nagle. She’ll finally have her own bedroom, and the place even comes with Rufus the cat, a ready-made pet. But when Jenny visits the house, she’s scared out of her wits. Giant snakes, elephants, and all kinds of terrifying creatures lurk around every corner. With a little help from Rufus, Jenny discovers who’s behind these spooky happenings. It’s the ghost of Miss Nagle’s grandmother, the once-famous witch of Willowby Lane. The ghost witch loves to scare people, and she thinks Jenny and her friends will be perfect targets. Jenny decides to meet the ghost witch face-to-face in this scary, yet delightful short-chapter book.