Books with author Betty Hicks

You've heard of Horse Whisperers and Dog Whisperers, but Ellis thinks he might be a Worm Whisperer! When his family falls on hard times, Ellis thinks his weird skill might be able to help. Ellis Coffey loves animals. He spends so much time outdoors that sometimes he thinks he can talk with them. When he discovers a caterpillar that seems to follow his directions, he knows he has a chance to win the annual Woolly Worm race. The prize money is $1,000―exactly the amount of the deductible for his dad's back surgery. If Ellis can train his woolly worm to be the fastest in the country, while dealing with a crush and a bully at school, he's sure can solve all his family's problems. But when you're trying to talk to insects, nothing is as simple as it seems. From Betty Hicks, author of the Gym Shorts series for new readers, comes a story of friendship, family, and hidden talents that might be more useful than they first seem.Praise for The Worm Whisperer:“A satisfying ending neatly wraps up this warm story, and Hatke's occasional line drawings will add appeal for middle-grade readers.” ―Kirkus Reviews

One million American children become part of blended family every year. What happens to stepsiblings when the oldest child suddenly becomes the middle child, and the youngest even younger? Out of Order delivers four electric points of view from stepsiblings, ages nine to fifteen, in a super-unsettled, scrambled-up family. An unforgettable Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament, plus 120 hazardous bug snacks, equals humor, insight, and serious indigestion. Betty Hicks gives us her most entertaining and complex novel yet.

"We'll have fun," Mom pleaded. "You've always wanted a brother--" "A younger brother," said Parker. "I wanted a younger brother." "But Eric is great. He'll-" "You don't get it, Mom. I've always been the youngest. Now I'm going to be even younger!"Before her mom remarried, Lily was the eldest; now she has dropped to second from the bottom. Her 13-year-old stepsister, V, is brilliant, popular, and seriously beautiful, but "lately she's been toxic waste." That, however, is only Lily's viewpoint. Hicks tells her uproarious story in fast, alternating narratives from the four stepsiblings, who suddenly find themselves together in a blended family. Along with all the jealousy and hurt, they still have fun, as when they hold a rock-paper-scissors competition for a neighborhood fund-raiser. There's also a little puzzle. Who has destroyed the tomatoes that V has been growing to raise money to send soccer balls to kids in Iraq? Without heavy message, the switching viewpoints make readers privy to the family secrets and the lies, as the combination of farce and tenderness in daily life brings home both the struggle and the fun.―Booklist

One million American children become part of blended family every year. What happens to stepsiblings when the oldest child suddenly becomes the middle child, and the youngest even younger? Out of Order delivers four electric points of view from stepsiblings, ages nine to fifteen, in a super-unsettled, scrambled-up family. An unforgettable Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament, plus 120 hazardous bug snacks, equals humor, insight, and serious indigestion. Betty Hicks gives us her most entertaining and complex novel yet.

Dez is unusually neat. Her mom and dad are unusually messy. They like Cheez Whiz and swamps. Dez likes elegant food and grand pianos. How can she even be related to them? And how can Dez help her best friend, Jil, who's adopted and who will stop at nothing in order to meet her birth mom? What is it, exactly, that makes a parent "real," anyway? Get Real is about wanting a parent who is very different from the one you have. It's about discovering, "Who am I?"

Swimming with SharksRita's times aren't fast enough to swim for the Sharks with her friends. To improve she must learn flip turns, but every time she tries, she gets water up her nose! Jazz has an idea that might be the key to Rita's success, but what if Rita comes in first on a slower team? Would she rather win or be with her friends? Or is there another way for Rita to swim with the Sharks?Track AttackJazz loves being on a track team where she sprints fast as a lightning bolt. Her dad loves that she's on the team, too. He's her biggest fan―maybe too big a fan. He argues with the coach, yells at the ref, and screams his head off at every meet. Jazz loves to run, but can she focus on the race while Dad is having a track attack?

Boys, basketball, barf -- the pefect middle grade novel! Nick wants to convince the coach that he's a point guard, get rid of Dwayne-the-dork, and stop missing his mother. But that's tough to do when he can't keep the ball way from Carson Jones, the dork is his stepbrother, the honor code's a joke, and he's been splattered with something worse-smelling than ham.

You've heard of Horse Whisperers and Dog Whisperers, but Ellis thinks he might be a Worm Whisperer! Ellis Coffey loves animals. He spends so much time outdoors that sometimes he thinks he can talk with them. When he discovers a caterpillar that seems to follow his directions, he knows he has a chance to win the annual Woolly Worm race. The prize money is $1,000--exactly the amount of the deductible for his dad's back surgery. If Ellis is right and he can train his woolly worm to be the fastest in the county, he's sure can solve all his family's problems. But when you're trying to talk to insects, nothing is as simple as it seems. From Betty Hicks, author of the Gym Shorts series for new readers, comes a story of friendship, family, and hidden talents that might be more useful than they first seemed.

You've heard of Horse Whisperers and Dog Whisperers, but Ellis thinks he might be a Worm Whisperer! Ellis Coffey loves animals. He spends so much time outdoors that sometimes he thinks he can talk with them. When he discovers a caterpillar that seems to follow his directions, he knows he has a chance to win the annual Woolly Worm race. The prize money is $1,000--exactly the amount of the deductible for his dad's back surgery. If Ellis is right and he can train his woolly worm to be the fastest in the county, he's sure can solve all his family's problems. But when you're trying to talk to insects, nothing is as simple as it seems. From Betty Hicks, author of the Gym Shorts series for new readers, comes a story of friendship, family, and hidden talents that might be more useful than they first seemed.

Grounded. Again. Stuart is the most in-trouble kid ever. His super-obsessive single-parent mom is always on his case, and if he’s busted one more time, she’s threatening the unthinkable—no soccer! Stuart’s best friend, a wise and wacky girl named Mack, hatches an unsettling plan to distract his mom by fixing her up with Mack’s uncle. It just might work, though—if their friendship doesn’t unravel first. And anyhow, he doesn’t want his widowed mom to date. Or does he?

Dez is unusually neat. Her mom and dad are unusually messy. They like Cheez Whiz and swamps. Dez likes elegant food and grand pianos. How can she even be related to them? And how can Dez help her best friend, Jil, who's adopted and who will stop at nothing in order to meet her birth mom? What is it, exactly, that makes a parent "real," anyway? Get Real is about wanting a parent who is very different from the one you have. It's about discovering, "Who am I?"

"Man, thought Stuart, rolling his eyes upward, I've got to be the most in-trouble kid, ever.He wondered if he could make the Guinness Book of World Records. He'd be willing to bet money that no one else had come close to getting busted as many times as he had."A tale of friends and family, action-packed sports, and a lot of crossed signals.Stuart is grounded. Again. His strict mother is always on his case. If he's busted one more time, Stuart may even have to give up soccer. But his best friend, a girl named Mack, hatches a plot to distract his mom by fixing her up with Mack's uncle. It just might work-if their friendship doesn't unravel first. And anyhow, he doesn't want his widowed mom to date. Or does he?