Books with author Betsy Byars

George Bean always wants to play on the roof of his apartmentbuilding. But only his older sister Anna can sit there, because she's writing a roof poem. Anna may be the first Bean to be in a book if the poem wins a contest at school.George decides to write a roof poem too. Soon all the Beans are on the roof writing the roof poems. All except George. He needs some inspiration. How will he get it?

The first book in the beloved series by the Newbery Medal–winning author “races without pause between hilarious, suspenseful and touching crises” (Publishers Weekly). Newbery Award–winning author Betsy Byars’s heartwarming and timeless books about the irrepressible Blossom family are back. In this introduction to the one-of-a-kind clan, Pap, the Blossoms’ grandfather, has landed himself in jail for disturbing the peace. Even though Junior is laid up in the hospital with two broken legs after jumping off the barn roof to test his new homemade wings, he and his sister and brother, Maggie and Vern, have come up with a plan to rescue Pap. A new generation of readers will fall head over heels for this engaging, hilarious family.

From Newbery-winning author Betsy Byars comes a story full of "poignancy, perception, and humor" (The Chicago Tribune), about three foster kids who learn what it takes to make a family. This chapter book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 7 to 9 who are reading independently. It’s a fun way to keep your child engaged and as a supplement for activity books for children.You can't always decide where life will take you—especially when you're a kid. Carlie knows she's got no say in what happens to her. Stuck in a foster home with two other kids, Harvey and Thomas J, she's just a pinball being bounced from bumper to bumper. As soon as you get settled, somebody puts another coin in the machine and off you go again. But against her will and her better judgment, Carlie and the boys become friends. And all three of them start to see that they can take control of their own lives.

What happened to the class hamster? Find out in this Edgar Award–winning mystery story with some “delightfully comic twists” (Kirkus Reviews). When Junior brings home the classroom hamster, Scooty, he decides to build the best hamster tunnel ever. But when Scooty goes missing, all evidence points to Mud. Meanwhile, Mad Mary is missing, too—although her bag and walking stick were found near the highway. When Mary later wakes up in the hospital, she realizes that the Blossoms might just have provided her with the strength she needs to pull her life back together. It’s anything but an ordinary weekend with the Blossoms! Perfect for young dog lovers, this Edgar Award–winning Blossom Family title is a mysterious and touching finale to the bestselling series by Newbery Medal-winning author Betsy Byars.

An entertaining adventure in the Newbery Medal–winning author’s series starring “a lively, likable family” (School Library Journal). Junior Blossom has set out to test his brand-new invention, a coyote trap. How on earth does he end up lost in a cave with Mad Mary, a.k.a. “the Vulture Lady,” while his family attempts to find him in this suspenseful and sidesplitting Blossom Family sequel.

When Junior Blossom wakes up in the hospital, his last memory is of crouching on the barn roof with cloth wings tied to his arms, and of Maggie and Vern in the yard below, urging him to fly. That had been just before Junior spotted a police car approaching the farm in a cloud of dust.Meanwhile Pap, the children's grandfather, sits in disgrace in the city jail. He was arrested for disturbing the peace after his pickup truck accidentally dumped 2,147 beer and soda cans (worth $107.35) on Spring Street.With their mother away on the rodeo circuit, it's up to Maggie and Vern to find a way to rescue Pap and Junior. How will they solve their family problems?

Mystery is in Herculeah Jones’s blood. How could it not be, with a father on the police force and a mother who’s a private eye? So when Herculeah notices a man hanging around the "Dead Oaks" mansion, she can’t resist doing some investigating of her own. Legend has it the old estate was the site of a murder, and now it looks like there’s something even more nefarious going on. Can Herculeah crack the case before the mystery man closes in on her?

When Herculeah Jones's best friend, Meat, decides to take a comedy class, he just expects to get a few laughs. But then he discovers a dead body in the bathroom, and realizes that there's nothing funny about murder. Things can't get any worse—until the body disappears! Meat needs Herculeah's help to uncover the clues, but she's busy investigating a case of her own . . . one that might just change Meat's life forever!

Anna’s role in her family of gospel singers is an important one—far away from the stageEvery member of the Glory family is blessed with abundant musical talent. Everyone, that is, except for Anna. She can’t sing or play an instrument, so the family counts on her to sell their music at performances. Naturally, she feels completely left out. When her black sheep Uncle Newt is released from prison, Anna feels oddly close to him, even though they’ve never met before. After all, Newt must know what it means to feel like an outsider. But when the Glorys’ tour bus crashes and her loved ones are in danger, Anna can’t sit on the outside any longer. The Glory Girl is a funny, moving tale of one oddball kid finding her place in her family, and in the world. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Betsy Byars including rare images from the author’s personal collection.