Ruth McNally Barshaw

Moving to a new house? Bad. Being the new kid? Worse. Ellie's family is moving to a new town, and Ellie is sure she won't fit in at school. The other kids play 'new kid bingo' behind her back, and even the teachers can't seem to remember her name. But when her new classmates start complaining about long lunch lines (and bad food), Ellie jumps at...

When her teacher assigns a report on animals, Ellie is stumped about what kind she wants to research. Then a neighbor goes on vacation and asks Ellie to pet-sit for her parrot, Alix. Perfect--exotic bird it will be! Unfortunately, Alix flies the coop - literally. But when Ellie can't lure him back on her own, it will take clever teamwork from a...

Have Pen, Will TravelEllie captures all the excruciating and funny details of a dreaded camping trip in her secret journal. Complete with games, songs, weird facts, and more, Ellies sketch diary soon reveals shes actually having fun! Perfect for sleep-away campers, vacationers, and any kid looking for a great summer read. "Reminiscent of Jeff...