Dunc And The Greased Sticks Of Doom

Five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . . Olympic superstar Francesco Bartoli is about to hurl himself down the face of a mountain in another attempt to clinch the world slalom speed record. Cheering fans and snapping cameras are everywhere. But someone is out to stop him, and Dunc thinks he knows who it is. Can Dunc get to the gate in time to save the day? Will Amos survive longer than fifteen minutes on the icy slopes? Join best friends Dunc Culpepper and Amos Binder as they take an action-packed winter ski vacation filled with fun, fame, and high-speed high-jinx.

Anyone who knows Amos knows that in his case, dogs are definitely not man's best friends. Even his own dog growls and shows his teeth whenever Amos is around. Amos isn't exactly fond of Scruff either. It's a dog-eat-dog world. But when Scruff gets mixed up in a dognapping scheme, Amos and his best friend, Dunc, have to team up to spring him. Join Gary Paulsen's cool sleuths as they go undercover at the city pound!

The book focuses on individuals writing in the '90s, but also includes 12 classic authors (e.g., Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott, J.R.R. Tolkien) who are still widely read by teens. It also covers some authors known primarily for adult literature (e.g., Stephen King) and some who write mainly for middle readers but are also popular among young adults (e.g., Betsy Byars). An affordable alternative to multivolume publications, this book makes a great collection development tool and resource for author studies. It will also help readers find other books by and about their favorite writers.

McFarland Companions to Young Adult Literature American novelist Gary Paulsen is best known for his young adult fiction, including bestsellers Nightjohn, Soldier's Heart, and Woods Runner. From his trenchant prose in The Rifle and The Foxman to the witty escapades of Harris and Me and Zero to Sixty, Paulsen crafts stories with impressive range. The tender scenes in The Quilt and A Christmas Sonata speak to his empathy for children, with characters who endure the same hardships that marred his own early life. This literary companion introduces readers to his life and work. A-to-Z entries explore themes such as alcoholism, coming of age, slavery, survival, and war. A glossary defines terms unique to his work. Appendices provide related historical references, writing, art, and research topics.

Dunc thinks Mr. Smith is just an old man who owns a junkyard and a mean junkyard dog. But Amos is convinced Mr. Smith is Lightning Man, a retired superhero, and the dog is his super sidekick. Meanwhile, Mr. Smith's sinister new neighbor, Professor Brainard, seems to be casting some kind of weird spell over the city council. Dunc and Amos have to do something before Professor Brainard cleans out the town's coffers. They sure could use some help. Too bad there's no such thing as a retired superhero and a retired superhero's dog!

Amos's big sister Amy is always dating rejects. But this time, her boyfriend was rejected by the grave! He's got pale skin, dark hair, mesmerizing eyes, an annoying tendency to disappear, and he wants to have the Culpeppers over for a late night Halloween snack.... Can Amos and his best friend, Dunc, stop the vampire before he starts to bite? Or will Amy and her man do a little necking she will never forget? Join Gary Paulsen's cool sleuths in their creepiest caper yet!

Amos is desperate. He’s desperate for two tickets to the romantic event of his young life . . . the Road Kill concert! He’ll do anything to get them because he heard from a friend of a friend of a friend of Melissa Hansen that she’s way into Road Kill. But when he enlists the help of his best friend Dunc, he winds up with more than he bargained for . . . backstage, with a mystery to solve. Somebody’s trying to make Road Kill live up to its name. Can Dunc and Amos find out who and keep the music playing?