Funny, lighthearted monster stories that are perfect for young readers, brought to us by the esteemed Dr. Roach. Twins Sammy and Tammy love the quiet Boggy Marshes near their home. They're full of strange creatures and creepy plants. But a local business tycoon named Maximus Sneer has a plan to drain the marshes dry and cover them with houses, stores, and parking lots. When the twins hear about it, they quickly get to work protesting Sneer's scheme. But little does anyone know that two very big problems are growing in the marshes. All the pumping and draining awakens a pair of giant monsters who are both out for one thing. Revenge!

Twins Sammy and Tammy love the strange creatures and creepy plants in the boggy marshes near their home, and are dismayed to hear that business tycoon Maximus Sneer intends to drain the marshes and develop the area.

How is academia portrayed in children's literature? This Element ambitiously surveys fictional professors in texts marketed towards children, who are overwhelmingly white and male, tending to be elderly scientists. Professors fall into three stereotypes: the vehicle to explain scientific facts, the baffled genius, and the evil madman. By the late twentieth century, the stereotype of the male, mad, muddlehead, called Professor SomethingDumb, is formed in humorous yet pejorative fashion. This Element provides a publishing history of the role of academics in children's literature, questioning the book culture which promotes the enforcement of stereotypes regarding intellectual expertise in children's media. This title is also available, with additional material, as Open Access.

Reaching Reluctant Young Readers features 150 middle-grade books. Each profiled title has the potential to hook the reluctant reader and lure them to read the entire book. To specifically encourage elementary and middle-school-age reluctant children to read, there is first a pitch to get the reader’s attention. That is followed by a short reading passage to “set the hook” and encourage the young person to read the rest of the book on their own. Further, the book contains several hundred additional recommended titles. The books selected for this collection were chosen following the criteria of reluctant reader books created by the Quick Picks committee sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association. While these guidelines were designed for young adult books, they also work well for middle-grade books. The criteria include: clear writing (no convoluted long sentences with sophisticated vocabulary), high interest “hook” in the first few pages, well-defined characters, interesting plot, and familiar themes.

Funny, light-hearted monster stories that are perfect for young readers, brought to us by the esteemed Dr. Roach. Billy's new pet hamster is a huge disappointment. Despite his name, Hercules is perhaps the world's laziest rodent. He does nothing besides sleep, eat, and sleep some more. So when Billy sees an advertisement on television for a power snack, he decides that's just the thing to put some hurry into Hercules. But when the formula begins working too well, Billy realizes he may have one massive, hungry problem on his hands.

Frank the ogre has come to Monster Hospital with a tummy ache because he ate two nasty kids for breakfast. The four naughtiest children in the school are recruited by the mysterious Sister Winifred to be his doctors. Can these not-exactly friends help Frank without getting gobbled up or suffocating from the stupendous stink? It takes a monster to know a monster ... And read more stories in the Monster Hospital series by the acclaimed author-illustrator of the THORA books.