Books with author Deborah Shlian

Lumpy mashed potatoes oozing down the wall; green beans soaring through the air; stodgy meatloaf guiltily smeared across the cafeteria floor. Who threw that first fistful of food? Could it be the shy new kid cracking under the pressure of being new? The star athlete? He could easily throw veggies across the room. Perhaps the perp is someone completely unexpected, like a top student who has never been in trouble before? Someone started it and someone is going to detention. All this in the middle of a contentious contest for the election of class president. The suspects are endless but, in the end, the case will be cracked, and the election won. Food Fight is a fun-filled middle grade novel by the author of The Bedmas Conspiracy and Triple Chocolate Brownie Genius.

What is a stranger? When twelve year old Mandy and nine year old Kevin meet a pretty blonde woman named Lydia at an amusement park, they feel a little sorry for her because she is there by herself. They go on rides with her, and even let her eat lunch with them. In fact, Mandy is a bit flattered by the attention that is paid to them by this nice woman.However, is Lydia someone that Mandy can trust, or could she be dangerous to them?This book is designed to help parents discuss Stranger Danger with their elementary school age children in a safe, non-threatening way. There are even questions at the end of the book that are designed to help parents discuss Stranger Danger with their children in a non-threatening way. (Revised: 12/11/13)

Michael's days as a happy underachiever are over when he accidentally eats a nanochip loaded with information and becomes his own worst nightmare: a know-it-all. Michael Wise is lazy and unmotivated, and the perfect student council president for J.R. Wilcott Middle School. But one day everything changes drastically when Michael innocently indulges in his favourite treat, his mom's triple chocolate brownies. Unbeknownst to Michael, his computer programming dad accidentally left a chip on the counter when his mom was mixing the recipe. The nanochip, which his dad had developed, is loaded with educational data...and now it's been absorbed into Michael. To Michael's horror, he begins spouting information in his French class, he's a master chef at home, and he's a sudden whiz in math. Before he knows it, Michael is not the happy underachiever he used to be, but a brainiac, held up as an example by his teachers, and hated by everyone in the student body. What has happened to the old Michael? Is the underachiever gone for good? ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Awards finalist, Juvenile Fiction category, 2007 Diamond Willow Award Nominee 2009

When 15 year old Mike DiMaggio discovers that the fish in the creek near his home are all dead, he tries to find out what killed them. Could it be poison, fertilizer from nearby farms, or leakage from the nearby landfill? Determined not to give up until he discovers the cause, he has to fight with everyone from his dad who works at the landfill, to the County Commissioners. Then, disaster strikes, and the entire community is in danger of being wiped out. Is this the end of their tranquil, rural existence?

Adam's band, Sick on a Snow Day, is challenged by more than just an unusual name. Adam is mistakenly accused of cheating on a test and must maintain a clean record and B-average if he wants to stay in the band. When lead singer Daniela Olafson gets hit with stage fright at the last minute, Adam creates her alter-ego, Olaf Danielson, the Swedish exchange student who becomes an instant tween sensation. But one kid holds the key to both Adam's and Daniela's fates, is Adam's nemesis, the dorky Eldrick Hooperberg. And all he wants in return for his cooperation is to be a part of Sick on a Snow Day.

Manitoba Young Readers Choice Award finalist, 2013 Adam's band, "Sick on a Snow Day", is challenged by more than just an unusual name. Adam is mistakenly accused of cheating on a test and must maintain a clean record and B-average if he wants to stay in the band. When lead singer Daniela Olafson gets hit with stage fright at the last minute, Adam creates her alter-ego, Olaf Danielson, the Swedish exchange student who becomes an instant tween sensation. But one kid who holds the key to both Adam's and Daniela's fates, is Adam's nemesis, the dorky Eldrick Hooperberg. And all he wants in return for his cooperation is to be a part of "Sick on a Snow Day".

When 15 year-old Mike DiMaggio discovers that the fish in the creek near his home are all dead, he is determined to find out what killed them. Were they poisoned by one of the farms in the area or by the nearby landfill? Could the dead fish be connected to the recent cancer deaths and mysterious illnesses in his tiny town? Mike decides that he must find out the cause, even if it means he must fight with his father, who works at the landfill, as well as the powerful County Commissioners. However, when disaster strikes and his community is almost wiped out, even Mike nearly gives up his quest.

When 12-year old, Mandy, takes her cousin, Kevin, to the amusement park, both of them are expecting to enjoy a fun-filled day. While standing in line for one of the rides, they strike up a conversation with a pretty young woman who is at the park alone. She joins them for lunch and seems very interested in them, even inviting them to her car to see her pet parrot. Is she just being friendly, or is she a dangerous stranger? This short children's story was created to help parents discuss Stranger Danger with their children. There are even questions at the end of the book that will help you get the conversation going. This is an indispensible tool for parents who want to explain Stranger Danger to their children, without scaring them half to death!