Pirates Drive Buses

"OH, NO," SAID HEIDI. "IT'S THAT PIRATE AGAIN." IT SURE IS. Newly-independent readers will welcome the pirate's return. Billy and Heidi were walking to school when they heard the strangest sound. An odd bus stopped beside them, the door clattered open, and out leaped the pirate. "Great claws of crab! Didn't you get my letter? I told you I was coming." "A letter?" said Billy. "When did you send it?" "Ten minutes ago," said the pirate. "Not to worry--you're here now. And so am I. Now HURRY up!" In the pirate's second visit (a follow up to Pirates Eat Porridge about which Kirkus said: ‘Fans of Lane Smith and Jon Scieszka will find lots to laugh at here."), readers will happily jump in and join this outrageous bus tour.

Yo ho ho! It's the first day of kindergarten. Just imagine all the fun things to learn and experience! And who better than a pirate captain to drive the bus to school? He's ready to share all the rules one needs to know to ride the bus and to get along with mates at school. But with the anticipation of the first day of school there also comes a bit of anxiety. And it turns out that being a big, blustery pirate captain is no guarantee against feeling insecure and a little frightened in strange and uncomfortable situations. Who can help a rough and tough pirate captain get over his fears and back to driving the school bus? Using humor and pirate-speak, Kindergarrrten Bus addresses some of the concerns and anxiety that many children feel on their first day of school or at the start of any new undertaking.

A boy overcomes his first-day-of-school fears by imagining It's Not a School Bus, It's a Pirate Ship! Set sail on the high-seas with him in this picture book adventure by writer Mickey Rapkin and illustrator Teresa Martinez! The first day of school means the first ride on the school bus. But who will I sit with? What if no one talks to me? Luckily this isn’t a school bus, it’s a pirate ship! And this crew has one motto: “One for all and all for FUN!” So set sail on a voyage across the high seas! And prepare to make some pirate buddies along the way in this adventure about overcoming your anxiety. An Imprint Book “Rapkin and Martinez build on the imaginative fun of It’s Not a Bed, It’s a Time Machine . . . Martinez’s whimsical flights of fancy fill the illustrations to bursting. Imagination conquers fear yet again.” —Kirkus Reviews

Finally, a book to help educators promote sure-fire reading pleasers to boy readers in grades 3–12! Scary, Gross, and Enlightening: Books for Boys Grades 3-12 is the helpful new reference handbook for educators looking for just the right books to captivate the imaginations of boys in a way that makes reading fun as well as effective. In chapters than span the full range of categories and genres, Scary, Gross, and Enlightening surveys the latest and greatest titles aimed at boys in the primary and secondary grades, including nonfiction, graphic novels, mystery and adventure, sports, sci-fi and fantasy, humor, history, books that were made into movies, read-aloud titles, and classic works that have stood the test of time. Each chapter suggests a number of appropriate and delightful titles on a specific theme and includes listings of corresponding websites, reproducible lessons, and activities. The book also provides lists of professional titles to support each chapter's theme, as well as research-based strategies for teaching with the suggested books.

Ever since the World Trade Center fell in New York, Richard Stern has been obsessed with terrorists. On his own, he became a vigilante. He wasnt trained; he wasnt authorized. His career as a self-made bounty hunter was his little secretuntil the FBI found out and decided to hire Stern as an informant. His newly hired secretary, Lindsay Wagner, is sexy and well-informed. With her help, Stern is able to infiltrate deeper into terrorist cells. Their proximity to danger brings them close to each other, and soon Wagner and Stern are in a romantic relationship. Even so, Stern has his issues; hes an alcoholic. While undergoing detox, he comes up with a theory: terrorists are planning to attack a nuclear plant on Lake Erie. Its hard for the FBI to believe these ravings, but with further investigation, they realize Sterns suspicions are actually true. Now, Stern and Wagner must prepare for the battle of their lives. Wagner keeps Sterns alcohol addiction in check by distracting him with sex; Stern stays sober in order to stop a group of madmen set on nuclear destruction.