Books with author Elise Primavera

Students at a whimsical school for children of busy parents learn silly lessons about manners, friendship, and going far in life, in book two of the series that’s tailor-made for a new generation of Mary Poppins fans Great Rapscott School for Girls of Busy Parents is not your typical boarding school. Students arrive in boxes, birthday cake is served for breakfast, and two very talented corgis assist the rather quirky headmistress. This semester, the girls will learn how to get to The Top, but the semester is not off to a good start. One of the girls doesn’t make it back to school and when her friends try to rescue her, they wind up at the Bottom of the Barrel. Luckily, Ms. Rapscott knows that learning to fail is the secret to Going Far in life. Complete with charming black-and-white illustrations, this sequel to Ms. Rapscott’s Girls is full of, warmhearted lessons, spirited adventure, and good cheer.

Fans of Mary Poppins will love this whimsical tale of a boarding school for children of very busy parents, where an extraordinary headmistress teaches them life lessons about courage, adventure, friendship . . . and the importance of birthday cake.Nestled inside a lighthouse, Great Rapscott School for the Daughters of Busy Parents takes its motto from Amelia Earhart: Adventure is worthwhile in itself. Headmistress Ms. Rapscott couldn’t agree more, but her students, who are shipped to the school in boxes, could use a little convincing. Still, despite their initial reluctance, the students are soon soaring through the sky and getting lost on purpose. In addition to learning what birthday cakes are and how best to approach a bumbershoot tree, the students also manage to learn a little something about strength and bravery.Bestselling author Elise Primavera has created an irresistible, richly illustrated story about finding your way.

From New York Times bestselling author-illustrator Elise Primavera comes an imaginative young middle grade fantasy adventure bubbling with wit and whimsy.Marigold Star is destined for greatness. Everyone in Bramblycrumbly thinks so, her parents and pet dragon included. There’s just one problem. Marigold can’t do magic!Then one day she tries a new spell written in a very old book. It’s called the Invis-O-Friend Spell, and it makes Marigold invisible to all but the friend who needs her most. To Marigold’s surprise, the spell works! But now there’s another problem. The spell sent Marigold to the human world. And to return home, she’ll have to befriend a host of human children who are struggling to make friends. Marigold will have to hurry, or the line between her magical world and the human one might crumble until she has no home left to go back to.

For seven years, bad luck has followed Ivy around like a dog on a leash. Her father disappeared, her mother is a washed–up beauty–pageant winner, and now Viola and her mother have moved into a raqmshackle house on Gumm Street. Ivy's new neighbors–bookish Pru, stuck–up Cat, and wannabe adventurer Franny–are worse than unfriendly. But then a mysterious pair of ruby red slippers turn up, and the four girls are swept away...not to OZ, but to the jaw–droppingly strange lands of SPOZ, and SPUDZ, and OOZE, pursued by the fashionably mad Cha–Cha Staccato, who bears a frightening resemblance to a certain wicked witch.... Ages: 8 –12

Auntie Claus is just another eccentric New Yorker--or is she? Young Sophie has often wondered about her unusual great-aunt, Auntie Claus. She lives in penthouse 25C at the Bing Cherry Hotel and is so curioso! After all, Auntie Claus serves Christmas cookies all year long and her tree is always the best-decorated in the city. And then there's her annual "business trip," right around the holidays. This year Sophie is determined to get to the bottom of Auntie Claus's mysterious ways. Put on your mittens and bundle up for an adventure beyond your wildest dreams. Ho, ho, ho!

It's getting toward Christmas at the Bing Cherry Hotel, and Auntie Claus is preparing for her annual "business trip." Just before she is ready to leave, her favorite nephew, Christopher Kringle, begins to have doubts about the family business. To settle the matter, Auntie Claus summons Chris for tea, but like any self-respecting Kringle, Chris decides to take matters into his own hands: He plans to get on the Bad-Boys-and-Girls List on purpose! Even after his older sister, Sophie, reveals that their great-aunt, Auntie Claus, is really Santa's sister, Chris needs to see for himself, in order to believe. In this companion to the much loved Auntie Claus, come along on a magical journey with Sophie Kringle's little brother, Chris, to a place you may have seen only in your dreams. And discover that anything is possible, when you have the key to Christmas!

For seven years, bad luck has followed Ivy around like a dog on a leash. Her father disappeared, her mother is a washed–up beauty–pageant winner, and now Viola and her mother have moved into a raqmshackle house on Gumm Street. Ivy's new neighbors–bookish Pru, stuck–up Cat, and wannabe adventurer Franny–are worse than unfriendly. But then a mysterious pair of ruby red slippers turn up, and the four girls are swept away...not to OZ, but to the jaw–droppingly strange lands of SPOZ, and SPUDZ, and OOZE, pursued by the fashionably mad Cha–Cha Staccato, who bears a frightening resemblance to a certain wicked witch.... Ages: 8 –12

From New York Times bestselling author-illustrator Elise Primavera comes an imaginative young middle grade fantasy adventure bubbling with wit and whimsy.Marigold Star is destined for greatness. Everyone in Bramblycrumbly thinks so, her parents and pet dragon included. There’s just one problem. Marigold can’t do magic!Then one day she tries a new spell written in a very old book. It’s called the Invis-O-Friend Spell, and it makes Marigold invisible to all but the friend who needs her most. To Marigold’s surprise, the spell works! But now there’s another problem. The spell sent Marigold to the human world. And to return home, she’ll have to befriend a host of human children who are struggling to make friends. Marigold will have to hurry, or the line between her magical world and the human one might crumble until she has no home left to go back to.

Lulu was a thumb sucker. She and her thumb were very happy together—in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, Lulu and her thumb were best friends. Despite the urging of her family and the teasing of her friends, Lulu just would not give up her thumb-sucking habit. That is, until one day . . . when Lulu made up her mind to stop. And to help herself and thumb suckers all over the world, Lulu developed a program—one with steps. Twelve steps, to be exact. Join Lulu in her quest to kick the habit as she goes through the steps in this funny and insightful picture book. Told in a light-hearted manner and filled with good humor about a universal and important concern, Thumb Love will be embraced by parents and caregivers alike. This is not an issue book but a story that will resonate with anyone who is—or was—a kid.

Auntie Claus is just another eccentric New Yorker--or is she? Young Sophie has often wondered about her unusual great-aunt, Auntie Claus. She lives in penthouse 25C at the Bing Cherry Hotel and is so curioso! After all, Auntie Claus serves Christmas cookies all year long and her tree is always the best-decorated in the city. And then there's her annual "business trip," right around the holidays. This year Sophie is determined to get to the bottom of Auntie Claus's mysterious ways. Put on your mittens and bundle up for an adventure beyond your wildest dreams. Ho, ho, ho!

“High hopes finally pay off for a horse-loving girl” (Kirkus Reviews) in this charming chapter book from New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Elise Primavera.Ten-year-old Libby Thump loves two things: her dog, Margaret, and horses. She dreams about them, draws them all the time, and more than anything she wants to take lessons and learn to ride. Everyone tells Libby to live up to her potential, but her mother decides to give the lessons to her older sister, Brittany, instead, and Libby can’t believe it. Libby’s mom says Brittany needs the lessons more, to cure her “boy crazy phase.” Then Libby stumbles upon High Hope Farm and meets a horse named Princess who has been put out to pasture. Now Libby can live up to her potential, and so will everyone around her, too. With text and illustrations from Elise Primavera, author of Auntie Claus and Louise the Big Cheese acclaim, this first in a series will appeal to anyone interested in horses—or who knows the value of having a good friend. “The well-written story teaches the gentle lesson that life can be unfair, but persistence and passion ultimately pay off” (School Library Journal).

It takes meeting the horse of her dreams for Libby Thump to finally live up to her potential in this chapter book series from New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Elise Primavera.Ten-year-old Libby Thump loves two things: her dog Margaret and horses. She dreams about them, draws them all the time, and more than anything she wants to take lessons and learn to ride like a real horsewoman. But when her mother decides to give the lessons to her older sister instead, Libby is beside herself. Libby’s mom says Brittany needs the lessons more, to cure her “boy crazy phase”—and she also wants Libby to be “more girly,” like Brittany. But Libby just wants to be herself. With charismatic optimism and determination, Libby hopes she can talk her parents into seeing her perspective. And in the meantime, at least she can visit the stables and see her favorite horse, Princess…. This all-new series featuring text and illustrations from Elise Primavera, of Auntie Claus and Louise the Big Cheese acclaim, will appeal to anyone interested in horses—or who knows the value of having a good friend.