Twelve-year-old Catherine just wants a normal life. Which isnear impossible when you have a brother with autism and a familythat revolves around his disability. She's spent years trying toteach David the rules from "a peach is not a funny-looking apple"to "keep your pants on in public"---in order to head off David'sembarrassing behaviors. But the summer Catherine meets Jason, a surprising, newsort-of friend, and Kristi, the next-door friend she's alwayswished for, it's her own shocking behavior that turns everythingupside down and forces her to ask: What is normal?
Tomie's family starts building their new house at 26 FairmountAvenue in 1938, just as a hurricane hits town, starting off a busy,crazy year. Tomie has many adventures all his own, including eatingchocolate with his Nana Upstairs, only to find out-the hardway-that they have eaten chocolate laxative. He tries to skipkindergarten when he finds out he won't learn to read until firstgrade. "I'll be back next year," he says. When Tomie goes to seeSnow White, he creates another sensation. Tomie dePaola's childhoodmemories are hilarious, and his charming illustrations are sure toplease.
Dear Mr. Henshaw, I wish somebody would stop stealing the goodstuff out of my lunchbag. I guess I wish a lot of other things,too. I wish someday Dad and Bandit would pull up in front in therig ... Dad would yell out of the cab, "Come on, Leigh. Hop in andI'll give you a lift to school."Leigh Botts has been author BoydHenshaw's number one fan ever since he was in second grade. Now insixth grade, Leigh lives with his mother and is the new kid atschool. He's lonely, troubled by the absence of his father, across-country trucker, and angry because a mysterious thief stealsfrom his lunchbag. Then Leigh's teacher assigns a letter-writingproject. Naturally Leigh chooses to write to Mr. Henshaw, whosesurprising answer changes Leigh's life.