Maryellen Taking Off

Maryellen has big plans for her birthday, and she's glad when her old pal Davy shows up to help. If only Wayne the Pain would buzz off - but he's stuck to Davy like glue. Maybe her sister Joan was right when she said that girls can't be friends with boys in fourth grade. Then, on a family vacation, Maryellen finds out that Joan's not so sure about her own plans. One thing's clear: If Maryellen's going to invent a flying machine, become famous, and get Joan's wedding off the ground, she'll need all the help - and all the friends - she can get! In Taking Off, the second volume of Maryellen's classic stories about growing up in the 1950s, Maryellen's hopes, dreams, and ambitions soar - and she's determined that nothing will stop her from flying high.

Maryellen wants to stand out, but with five brothers and sisters, it's not so easy. Giving herself a haircut doesn't go quite the way she expects - and when she draws a cartoon of her teacher on the first day of fourth grade, she draws more attention than she wants! At least her drawing skills help her make an interesting new friend. Together, they might be able to win the Geography Bee - but only if Maryellen can find a way to make her old friends overcome their prejudice. The One and Only, the first volume of Maryellen's stories about growing up in the 1950s, tell how Maryellen learns to stand out and be her own person.

Maryellen strives to invent a flying machine, become famous, and get her sister's wedding off the ground.

Includes an excerpt from the novel The Sky's the Limit.

In 1874, an amazing event took place--the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) initiated the rescue of a severely abused child named Mary Ellen Wilson. Her rescue initiated the beginning of true child protection in this country, and eventually, the first child protection agency in America was formed.

"What if you suddenly found yourself in Maryellen's world of the 1950s. Together, you and Maryellen could go to a sock hop, enter a contest, or take a road trip in the camper. As you read, you decide what happens next by choosing your own path through this multiple-ending story"--

A collection of photographs of Seattle's street children that captures their lives on the streets--and the effects of that life. Meet Tina, a 13-year-old prostitute with dreams of diamonds and furs; Rat and Mike, 16-year-olds who eat from dumpsters; and Dewayne, a 16-year-old boy who hanged himself in a juvenile facility when faced with the prospect of returning to the streets. 57 duotone photographs.