They're Puffin Classics for a reason, it's because they're the best Tom Sawyer is sure to find trouble wherever the river leads him . . . On the banks of the Mississippi River, Tom Sawyer and his friends seek out adventure at every turn. Then one fateful night in the graveyard they witness a murder. The boys make a blood oath never to reveal the secret, and they run away to be pirates in search o ...

Winner of a 1952 Newbery Honor Medal, this story of William Tell and his 12-year-old son, Walter, is now available in a special 50th anniversary dual edition. In 1291, William Tell is ordered by an Austrian tyrant to shoot an apple balanced atop Walter's head with his crossbow. The tale of William's arrest and escape and the daring revolt of the Swiss against the Austrians has become a legend arou ...

Twelve-year-old House Jackson, star pitcher and team captain of the Aurora County All-Stars, has been sidelined for a year with a broken elbow. Now that he's healed, the biggest game of the season is set for the same day as the pageant for the county's 200th anniversary. What's House to do?

Everyone knows a bird dog leads with its nose. Everyone but J.C. After all, what's a pup supposed to think when he's welcomed to his new home by a cat who thwacks him on the nose with his claws, a dog who bites him on the nose and a mad mamma bird who attacks the sorest part of his body with her beak. J.C. can't help thinking there must be a better way.

Ambitious young entrepreneur Ernie runs a pet funeral business that explodes when he hires tomboy Swimming Pool, who's a great crier. Illustrations.

Readers first met the Herdman kids, the notorious troublemakers of Woodrow Wilson Elementary School, in Barbara Robinson's hilarious novel "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever." Now the Herdmans return in an even funnier sequel in which they start a riot at the laundromat, kidnap someone's baby brother for fun and profit, and create a diversion at the school talent show.

Rich descriptors establish this memoir’s compelling setting so that readers feel the African heat , the desperation of starving families seeking sustenance from dry, barren farmland, and the wind’s power to help a helpless community. Against this backdrop a small, young boy with an insatiable appetite for knowledge lets curiosity drive his desire to help his family and his village. T ...

Set in Galilee in the time of Jesus, this story tells of a young Jewish rebel who is won over to the gentle teachings of Jesus. A Newbery Medal Book.

Ann Hamilton's family has moved to the western frontier of Pennsylvania, and she misses her old home in Gettysburg. There are no girls her age on Hamilton Hill, and life is hard. But when the Hamiltons survive a terrible storm and receive a surprise visit from George Washington, Ann realizes that pioneer life is exciting and special.

Chickadee, Atim, Otter, and Sam are tweens on a mission! The national gathering of the Cree Peoples is meeting on their Windy Lake land, but the sudden disappearance of the sacred relics from their location threatens Windy Lake’s reputation among the other Cree tribes. Blending traditional native tracking methods and 21st Century technology they search diligently to restore Windy Lake’s honor, ...

Join the Crimebusters as they begin a career of solving mysteries.

The Crimebusters face a new challenge when Maria visits her grandmother and finds out someone has broken into her shop. But the hard part is determining who are their friends and who are the enemies. Will a giant python and a back-talking parrot help with clues or give the detectives away? This is the second book in the Crimebusters Series.

This classic is a powerful story of love, prejudice, and survival. Set during World War II, two survivors--a white boy and an old West Indian man--from a torpedoed American freighter have much to learn from each other when the Germans invade the small island of Curacao.

In this witty take on the legend of King Midas, John is about to learn that there is, indeed, such a thing as too much chocolate. Illustrations.

The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race. Now, 200 years later, the great lamps that light the city are beginning to flicker. When Lina finds part of an ancient message, she's sure it holds a secret that will save the city.

Crossover is an engaging set of free verse poems describing events in the lives of 7th grade twin boys throughout their basketball season. The poems are charming and engaging, some in a rap style. The short, pithy style and athletic allusions will appeal to middle school boys. The story is told through one brother’s eyes, and sibling rivalry between the two is a part of the plot. The parents are ...

While the story is based on the Pinkerton National Detective Agency's beginnings and the notable detective work of its first female detective, Kate Warne, the pages dedicated to the restoration of family through testing fortifies this tale's telling. Hannigan weaves parallel stories -- of Underground Railroad workers and undercover detective agents whose survival depends on wits, disguise, truth-s ...