The Buddy Files

King has a very big mystery to solve. His family is missing, and he's been put in the P-O-U-N-D. Why doesn't his beloved human (Kayla) come to get him? When King is adopted by Connor and his mom, things get more confusing. The new family calls him Buddy!

And just as Connor and Buddy start to get acquainted, Connor disappears! Buddy (aka King) has big problems to solve, but with some help from his friend Mouse (a very large dog) and the mysterious cat with no name, he shows what a smart, brave dog can do.

Buddy was adopted from the P-O-U-N-D and he likes his new family, but he's still searching for Kayla and her dad -- his first family.  What has happened to them? He hopes to solve that mystery soon, but right now he's got another urgent case -- two dogs, Muffin and Jazzy, have been switched!  How can Buddy get poor Muffin and Jazzy back to their real owners?

Buddy has settled in with his adopted family, but he's never given up on finding his beloved human, Kayla, and his first family.  One night he sees men taking things out of Kayla's old house and loading them into a van.  What's up?  Though his friend Mouse advises against it, in the middle of the night Buddy decides to make a daring move, leaving everything he knows behind.

Buddy is starting his work as therapy dog at Four Lakes Elementary School, where Connor attends and Mom is the principal. On his very first day, he accidentally knocks down a little kid on the playground, convincing the first grade teacher that school is no place for a dog. Then the fire alarm goes off. The school is evacuated, but there's no fire... it's a false alarm.

Who could have pulled the alarm?

Buddy is in the school library and kids are taking turns reading with him. While Buddy listens to a ghost story, he hears rustling in the shelves behind him. He turns to look, but doesn't see anyone back there. He hears a book fall. Something smells strange. Not human...not canine, not like anything Buddy has ever smelled before. Could it maybe be the school ghost Buddy has heard so much about? When the child he's sitting with leaves, Buddy goes over to the shelves to investigate...and comes face to face with a mysterious creature that has a long, blue tongue.

 Book 6:  The Case of the School Ghost  (available February 1, 2012)

It's the night of the Fourth Grade sleepover, and Buddy is invited. When he gets to school, Mr. Poe, the custodian, tells everyone about the ghost that haunts the school grounds. There are no such things as ghosts, right? But secret notes, unusual banging, and a ghostly voice may indicate otherwise. Could this be why Connor and Michael are acting so strange? Is there really a ghost in the school?

Buddy is determined to find out!

Yes, I know the Monkey Man

Thirteen-year-old T.J. never knew she had a mother and a twin sister—because her father never told her.  But Mom and Sam are very much alive, and now they want T.J. to be part of their family.

Life with Joe, her well-meaning but troubled father, is all T.J. has ever known. His erratic lifestyle has meant lying to social workers and just about everyone else. But T.J. loves him and the grandmother who provided stability in her life.  Reluctantly, T.J. agrees to visit her mom and Sam for the first time—even if it means being a bridesmaid in her mom’s wedding. She is drawn to her new family, but she’s also wary of becoming attached to them.

When Joe suffers a debilitating accident and tries to ensnare T.J. in still another web of lies, her loyalties are tested. Now she must confront the truth about her family, even though it hurts the people she loves.

In this eagerly awaited sequel to Do You Know the Monkey Man?, author Dori Hillestad Butler creates another complex and entertaining portrait of a family in crisis.

P is for Police

There is more to being a police officer than racing to the scene of a crime with sirens wailing. With this alphabetical primer, kids get a true behind-the-scenes look at this noble profession. 

They will learn about the equipment used and the training required in order to wear the uniform. Investigating crime is only one part of the job, and each letter reveals another component of the occupation. With H is for history, children are transported back to the time of Caesar Augustus as they find out why the first police force was created. Z is for zoom lens allows detectives to break away from the scene to look for clues.

Future cadets also learn how radar guns and lie detectors are used, why seasoned veterans want to retire without firing their weapon, and how fingerprints are lifted for evidence. A cat cleverly hidden in each illustration encourages children to sharpen their skills of detection now for their future on the force.

The Truth about Truman School

They just wanted to tell the truth.

When Zebby and Amr create the website thetruthabouttruman.com, they want it to be honest. They want it to be about the real Truman Middle School, to say things that the school newspaper would never say, and to give everyone a chance to say what they want to say, too.

But given the chance, some people will say anything-anything to hurt someone else. And when rumors about one popular student escalate to cruel new levels, it's clear the truth about Truman School is more harrowing than anyone ever imagined.

My Grandpa Had a Stroke

What happens when a loved one suffers a stroke? Often, for a child, the experience can be painful, invoking feelings of anger, fear, and confusion. My Grandpa Had a Stroke is a story of Ryan's relationship with his grandfather both before and after his grandfather suffers from a stroke, leaving both Ryan and his Grandfather to deal with the physical, mental, and emotional aftermath. After Ryan's grandfather has a stroke, their close relationship has to change and with the help of his parents, rehabilitation professionals, and Grandpa himself, Ryan learns what a stroke is and the stroke's effect on his grandfather, now and in the future.

My Grandpa Had a Stroke provides age-appropriate explanations of a stroke, its short- and long-term consequences, and its treatment, including rehabilitation. It deals simply and compassionately with a child's complex range of feelings when a loved one becomes disabled, and as Ryan adapts to his changing relationship with his grandfather, young readers too will be able to better understand their own emotions regarding any disabled loved ones in their own lives.

"With quiet prose, this covers most of the emotional and practical hurdles faced by both patient and child. A sad but useful book."

–Booklist    

F is for Firefighting

This exciting picture book for young children teaches the ABCs of firefighting. A popular career choice for most five year olds, firefighting conjures images of pump trucks, sirens, and ladders. This informative and fun ABC journey gives a bit of firefighting history with "B is for bucket brigade" and moves into the 21st century with "T is for thermal imaging camera." The colorful illustrations sport a spotted Dalmatian hidden on every page.

"This up-to-date treatment of a high-interest topic is perfect for its intended audience, and children will soak up details like sponges...This accessible resource can be used to supplement community and community-workers curriculum areas."

–School Library Journal    

"Informative and intriguing"

–Kirkus    

Tank Talbott's Guide to Girls

Tank's summer is not shaping up the way he'd hoped. It's bad enough that his three stepsisters will be sharing his cramped house for the summer vacation. Then he finds out that he has to work with a math tutor every day and fill a big notebook with his writing-just to pass fifth grade!

Tank wishes he could just sell his friend Jason's movie script to Hollywood. After all, Tank is Jason's agent. But passing fifth grade is a big deal too and soon, inspired by his brother's breakup with Jason's sister, Tank realizes he can fill his notebook writing a guide to girls. It will be a bestseller!

Tank has plenty of material to work with-his three stepsisters and Jason's strange new interest in Kelly, the Mistress of Evil. What is up with that, anyway? Readers first met Tank and Jason in Trading Places with Tank Talbott.

"Readers will relate to this painfully honest portrayal of growing up as seen from a believable 11-year-old boy's perspective."

–School Library Journal     

"Butler's follow-up to Trading Places with Tank Talbott (2003) is a satisfying, often humorous read (Tank's explanations for girls' behavior are particularly creative), which touches on such matters as Internet safety, changing friendships, and anger management, especially as it relates to Tank's older brother."

–Booklist    

Do you Know the Monkey Man?

FOR THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD SAMANTHA, life consists of too many unanswered questions. Why has her father not tried to contact her all these years? How could he have allowed her twin sister to drown in Clearwater Quarry when they were only toddlers? And how can Samantha's mother expect her to accept some man she hardly knows as her new father? Samantha already has a father out there. Somewhere.

A fateful decision sets into motion a chain of events and confrontations that will change Samantha's and her family's lives forever. As she sets out to find her father and discover what really happened the day her sister was presumed drowned, she uncovers painful secrets that threaten to destroy her family all over again.

“Butler has a simplicity of narrative voice that makes the story easy to read while reflecting the often-complex emotions of children forced to deal with things that have long been buried. It is the way that the author conveys these emotions that provides the most lingering memories of this fast-paced suspense novel”

–School Library Journal

 

“Middle-graders looking for a simple mystery will be pleased, and the story may inspire them to think about the concepts of identity and family that are threaded through the story.”

–Booklist

By the time Alex Hopewell breaks her third egg in her fifth grade class’s Family Life Unit she’s earned the nickname "Alex Hopeless." Since Mrs. Ryder won’t trust her with an egg, she has to write a report about child development. That’s when Alex announces that she is going to be her mom’s labor coach. There’s only one problem—she hasn’t told her mom yet!

Things don’t always go easily for Alex. Her parents talked to Mrs. Ryder at the beginning of the year about her learning disorder, but Alex still thinks Mrs. Ryder hates her. Somehow Alex knows everything will be fine if only she can be there when the baby is born. Finally, her parents agree. Then Alex’s mother goes into labor early, and Alex gets a chance to prove what a great kid she really is.

“Butler successfully juggles the many elements of her novel, including a protagonist with special needs (Alex has auditory processing disorder); a teacher who is impatient with a pupil's atypical learning style; and the specifics of giving birth. This merits consideration for its candor regarding the birthing process, unusual in fiction for this age group.”

–Booklist

Elizabeth’s mom is having a baby, and the whole family is involved. Elizabeth learns all about the baby’s development, and she traces his growth, month by month. She learns how the baby got inside Mom, too. Finally the big day comes—Mom and Dad head off to the hospital, and soon there’s a brand-new little person in the family!

“Numerous books are available to prepare soon-to-be siblings for the changes that come with the arrival of a new baby in the house. Butler's goes one better by candidly and thoughtfully responding to the question many such books ignore, ‘How did that baby get there?’”

       –Starred Review, Booklist

“The joy and love felt by all of the family members is palpable. This volume is an excellent choice for those readers who are ready to ask and be told some of life's basic facts”

–School library Journal

Sliding Into Home

W is for Wisconsin

ABC's of Wisconsin

Delightful illustrations show the everyday experiences of kids all over the Badger State. Children can count cows with Courtney, discover the Dells with David, and make maple syrup with Megan as they discover the wonder and magic of day-to-day life in Wisconsin. In this charming alphabet book, which includes a collection of fun facts, children can learn the ABC's of Wisconsin, and adults will enjoy sharing the experience with them.

H is for Hoosier

The Great Tooth Fairy Rip Off 

Joey tries to negotiate with the Tooth Fairy for the amount he thinks his tooth is really worth, but he gets a surprise and learns the values of work, money, and saving when the Tooth Fairy starts bargaining back.