Books with author Andy Shepherd

"'The Boy Who Grew Dragons' is good-hearted fantasy fun."-New York Times Book Review"This gently funny title is a must-purchase for public libraries, and a great recommendation for readers of all ages"-School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW "Never has so much toilet humor been so charming."-Kirkus Reviews"Readers will be eager for more."-BooklistThis hilarious middle-grade novel with illustrations throughout sees Tomas discover that he can grow dragons in his own garden!When Tomas discovers a strange old tree at the bottom of his grandfather's garden, he doesn't think much of it. But he takes the funny fruit from the tree back into the house and gets the shock of his life when a tiny dragon hatches! The tree is a dragon fruit tree, and Tomas now has his very own dragon, Flicker!While Tomas finds out that life with Flicker is fun, he also finds that it is very...unpredictable. Yes, dragons are wonderful, but they also set fire to your toothbrush and leave your underwear hanging from the TV antenna. Tomas has to learn how to look after Flicker---and quickly! And then something extraordinary happens: more dragon fruits appear on the tree! Now it's official, Tomas is growing dragons.

This hilarious middle-grade novel with illustrations throughout sees Tomas discover that he can grow dragons in his own garden!When Tomas discovers a strange old tree at the bottom of his grandfather's garden, he doesn't think much of it. But he takes the funny fruit from the tree back into the house and gets the shock of his life when a tiny dragon hatches! The tree is a dragon fruit tree, and Tomas now has his very own dragon, Flicker! While Tomas finds out that life with Flicker is fun, he also finds that it is very...unpredictable. Yes, dragons are wonderful, but they also set fire to your toothbrush and leave your underwear hanging from the TV antenna. Tomas has to learn how to look after Flicker---and quickly! And then something extraordinary happens: More dragon fruits appear on the tree! Now it's official, Tomas is growing dragons.

Tomas can't imagine life without his little dragon Flicker. He's become more than a pet - he's a friend like no other. And growing dragons on the dragonfruit tree in the garden with his friends Ted, Kat and Kai is the most amazing thing ever. But Tomas has promised Grandad something - that he and his friends will let their dragons go back to where they belong. The only problem is - that isn't such an easy thing to do. Not when they are still having so much fun with dragons Flicker, Sunny, Crystal and Dodger. Not when they still have to work out where the dragons' home is, and how to get the dragons to leave. And not when Tomas is so close to uncovering the true story of the mysterious dragonfruit tree ...

Join the Gemini Detective Agency and help the teenage sleuths solve the theft of a priceless necklace!Twins Zach and Evie Mamuya and their friend Vishal Desai make up the Gemini Detective Agency, which is mainly an excuse to get pizza together or hit the go-kart track. But when a priceless diamond necklace known as the North Star is stolen before an auction, the kids tag along with the twins' crime reporter mom and find a few clues that make them think this was no ordinary robbery. With the help of their classmate Sophia Boyd, the Gemini Detective Agency is on the case! Will they be able to sort through the clues and solve the mystery in time? Readers will love this interactive mystery, where clues can be found throughout the illustrations at the end of each chapter! The Gemini Mysteries: The North Star is an action-packed novel full of twists and turns that will keep readers guessing until the very end.

In many ways, Allison Anderson is like most girls. In others, she's very different. The differences aren't immediately obvious but have caused misunderstandings and avoidance from others in the past. Starting high school in a new town, she expects the same experiences—until she meets the Calderas.David Caldera, charismatic son of a local rancher, adopts Allison into his social circle. He and other new friends introduce her to their world of horses and extreme sports. Along with a lost horse she befriends, they help her to trust, gain confidence, and venture beyond her previously isolated world. She also falls helplessly but hopefully in love.Navigating through confusing emotions, over-protective parents, and jealous classmates is difficult, but Allison's overriding fear is losing the people she's grown to love. To prove her determination to keep up, she enters a race—a dangerous decision that could cost her everything.

It's senior year, and someone's declared open season on bullies.From advanced classes to college entrance essays to baking cakes, Brenna Rutherford's got a lot on her plate with the start of her senior year. The last thing she needs to worry about is the pipe-wielding maniac causing chaos on campus. But after getting a little too close for comfort to the violence, Brenna, along with her best friend, Van Vaughn, is determined to find out who's responsible. Is it pathetic, much-abused Benny McBride; arrogant Cameron Irby, Brenna’s intellectual foe; or someone much closer to her? One thing is for certain – Brenna and Van must uncover the truth and stop the angry villain before the unthinkable occurs.Seeing Red is the first in a seven-book series for young adults based on the seven deadly sins. In 2012, it won second place in the Gotham Writers' Workshop Young Adult Novel Discovery Contest.

Three months ago, Sarah Drake’s best friend, Giselle Rochester, disappeared without a trace. Now Sarah must navigate the treacherous waters of Garfield Preparatory School alone, which would be difficult enough for a scholarship student, but she’s also captured the unwanted attention of Giselle’s twin brother Damien – a dangerous predator who gives cruelty a new meaning. Surviving school would be impossible were it not for Mac Prescott, who’s determined to stand between Sarah and Damien in Giselle’s absence.When she starts having dreams about her missing friend, Sarah and Mac begin their own search for the truth. Secrets confront the pair on every side, and some are much darker than Sarah’s hidden feelings for Mac. The more she learns, the more she is convinced that Giselle and Damien are anything but normal teenagers and that the power struggle between them is still alive and well. And as the danger increases, there’s more on the line than Sarah’s life. She just might lose her soul.

With the Dark Avenger no longer a threat, life has returned to normal for everyone except Mitch Hamilton. He just can’t seem to shake the young, unknown blonde who’s made herself an unnerving presence in his life. With the Halloween Carnival right around the corner, Mitch is already under enough strain, and he turns to Brenna for help. Along with Van’s assistance, the couple fabricates a romantic relationship designed to draw out the stalker. But as the lines between fake and real romance become blurry, it is Brenna who becomes the focus of Mitch’s Mystery Girl. As strange occurrences pile up, Van is convinced that they might not be dealing with a flesh and blood girl after all and that the real danger may be much closer than they think.

Brenna Rutherford wants two things for Christmas: distraction from obsessing over her break-up with Mitch and alleviation of her fears of Abraham's deception. Thankfully, a series of charity fundraisers, hosted by the ASB, provides her with some amusement - especially when Van is chosen to be a participant in the highly anticipated bachelor auction. But all is not merry and bright in Mount Vernon. A festive thief armed with a stun baton is robbing Brenna's classmates where they work. Her decision to keep her investigation on the sidelines is put to the test when one of her friends becomes a victim. As events unfold, it becomes evident that there may be more going on than simple robberies. Is the thief using Brenna to send a message to someone close to her? With romance finding its way into Van's life, an ex-boyfriend intent on winning her back, and a stun-happy thief, it's anything but a silent night for Brenna.

There's never been any love lost between Brenna Rutherford and Alexis Rydell. When Brenna discovers the cheerleader unconscious and naked while out for a morning run, she can't help but wonder if Finn and his puppet are behind it. Alexis certainly isn't interested in Brenna's offer of help. But after nude photos of Alexis in provocative poses show up in lockers at school, the two girls form an uneasy alliance to bring the perpetrator to justice. That task is more complicated than it might seem, especially when other girls fall victim to the same crime. How do you find the guilty party when every guy has sex on the brain? And while the culprit might be targeting would-be Prom Queens, he has an unnatural obsession with Brenna, and he's not the type of guy who takes no for an answer.