Books with author Brett Helquist

In this imaginative interpretation of the nursery rhyme “The House That Jack Built,” young Jack builds an amazing fort in the middle of the living room, using the chairs, blankets, and other objects on hand. Unfortunately, those objects belong to his family members, so when they want their things back―there goes the walls and roof! Jack struggles to keep his fortress going as it crumbles piece by piece. Finally, Grandma saves the day with her quilts for a sweet, satisfying ending filled with family fun. Boni Ashburn’s text is brought to life by acclaimed illustrator Brett Helquist, whose lively style takes this tale beyond the living room and into the world of adventure. Praise for The Fort That Jack Built "Helquist's colorful illustrations truly capture the active imaginative play of youngsters in this humorous variation of the nursery rhyme." --Booklist "Rich but retro color palette." --Kirkus Reviews

Let the Scholastic Bookshelf be your guide through the whole range of your child's experiences--laugh with them, learn with them, read with them!It's 1924 and the holidays are approaching. Milly lives in NYC with her Polish family and frolics daily in holiday displays at the Macy's store under the watchful eye of Mr. Macy. But Milly's family misses their homeland and traditions. In an effort to cheer people up, Milly convinces Mr. Macy to combine old country traditions with new American heritage in a celebration for all to enjoy. Everyone agrees that the resulting parade will become a wonderful new tradition. This heartwarming story beautifully captures the creation of a uniquely American event.

Dear Reader, The guy who usually writes these letters asked me to do it instead. Maybe he was having a bad writing day. Maybe he wanted me to play the sap for him. Or maybe he ran into Trouble with a capital T. Well, Trouble’s in my business. I’m a dog. I’m a detective. The name’s Bud Barkin. And this book is about the case I had involving a dame named Delilah Gorbish, whom I would call Trouble with a capital T except I’ve used that metaphor already, and the clown named Crusty Carmady whose calling card is a teakettle that he heaves through windows. Nice pair of birds. The mystery deepens with another character called the Big Fish, who isn’t really a fish and who’s addicted to the Home Shopping Network. Hey, I don’t write ’em—I just solve ’em. Yours truly, Bud Barkin, P.E.

Fast-paced, funny, and full of surprises, The Grimjinx Rebellion brings Brian Farrey's epic and critically acclaimed Vengekeep Prophecies trilogy to an unforgettable close.Jaxter Grimjinx and his family haven't had much time for thieving. Through no fault of their own, they've been too busy saving the day. But the danger in the Five Provinces is only just beginning. The Palatinate Mages are almost ready to unveil their master plan, and legendary monsters will soon roam the land once more. Then Jaxter's sister, Aubrin, is kidnapped by the Mages. It seems she has a power greater than her family ever realized, and she may be the key to the impending battle for the Five Provinces. Jaxter will do anything to get his little sister back—even if it means pulling off the greatest heist of his life and starting a full-scale rebellion.A "rich fantasy" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) with a family of thieves who "couldn't be more likable" (Kirkus Reviews), the Vengekeep Prophecies trilogy takes everything you thought you knew about prophecies and spins it into pure magic.

Dear possible reader of this book, I wasn’t sure I'd be able to write a book ever again after Canine Quarterly reviewed my series, Tales from the House of Bunnicula. They said I would never win the Newbony Award. Was I depressed! And I didn’t even know what a Newbony was! Luckily Delilah’s read a lot of Newbony books, so she helped me write this one. It’s about a poor (but very cute) orphan dachshund puppy named Howie Monroe, who lives on the prairie and yearns for a chicken bone. (I know. Trust me.) Things really get exciting when Howie and his best friend, the smart and well-read Delilah, find a time machine and travel back to ancient Egypt where they uncover...the mystery of the Pharaoh’s tomb!!! Your friend, Howie

Jolly Roger was a lousy pirate. Whenever there was any real pirating to be done, the other pirates scowled and sent him away. Jolly Roger often wished he could think of something -- anything -- that would make the other pirates like him. Then one day, in the middle of a great battle, Jolly Roger had a wonderful idea . . . and pirate ships would never be the same again!

With his long black curls, a shadowy family tree, and an affinity for pet spiders, James Matthew bears little resemblance to his starched-collar, blue-blooded peers at Eton. Dubbed King Jas., he stops at nothing to become the most notorious underclassman in the prestigious school's history. For James, sword fighting, falling in love with an Ottoman Sultana, and challenging the Queen of England are all in a day's skullduggery. But when he sets sail on a ship with a mysterious mission, King Jas.' dream of discovering a magical island quickly turns into an unimaginable nightmare. Screenwriter J. V. Hart traces the evolution of J. M. Barrie's classic villain from an eccentric outcast to the scourge of Neverland.

With his long black curls, a shadowy family tree, and an affinity for pet spiders, James Matthew bears little resemblance to his starched-collar, blue-blooded peers at Eton. Dubbed King Jas., he stops at nothing to become the most notorious underclassman in the prestigious school's history. For James, sword fighting, falling in love with an Ottoman Sultana, and challenging the Queen of England are all in a day's skullduggery. But when he sets sail on a ship with a mysterious mission, King Jas.' dream of discovering a magical island quickly turns into an unimaginable nightmare.Screenwriter J. V. Hart traces the evolution of J. M. Barrie's classic villain from an eccentric outcast to the scourge of Neverland.

Before anyone had heard of Black Beard, Long John Silver, or Calico Jack, there was a pirate named Roger. He was a lousy pirate. He couldn t tell the starboard from the larboard, the windward from the leeward, or the mizzen from the main. This is the story of this pirate and his ship, the Jolly Roger, and how he tried to fight off an attack from other pirates. One day, when his shipmates were in grave danger, Roger was sent below decks. He wanted to help his fellow pirates and make them like him, so he decided to bake a cake when . . . . Includes the words and music for ''The Ballad of Jolly Roger.''

This is the story of how Les Paul created the world's first solid- body electric guitar, countless other inventions that changed modern music, and one truly epic career in rock and roll. How to make a microphone? A broomstick, a cinderblock, a telephone, a radio. How to make an electric guitar? A record player's arm, a speaker, some tape. How to make a legendary inventor? A few tools, a lot of curiosity, and an endless faith in what is possible. Featuring richly detailed, dynamic illustrations by Brett Helquist, this unforgettable biography will resonate with inventive readers young and old.

In this imaginative interpretation of the nursery rhyme “The House That Jack Built,” young Jack builds an amazing fort in the middle of the living room, using the chairs, blankets, and other objects on hand. Unfortunately, those objects belong to his family members, so when they want their things back—there goes the walls and roof! Jack struggles to keep his fortress going as it crumbles piece by piece. Finally, Grandma saves the day with her quilts for a sweet, satisfying ending filled with family fun. Boni Ashburn’s text is brought to life by acclaimed illustrator Brett Helquist, whose lively style takes this tale beyond the living room and into the world of adventure.