Books with author Gail Provost

Twelve-year-old David, juggling the demands of Shrimp League basketball and preparations for his upcoming Bar Mitzvah, strives to please Kelly, his dream-girl classmate, as well as his ailing grandfather and traditional parents.David is more interested in basketball than the bar mitzvah, and when his mother wants to have it early due to his grandfather's failing health, David begins to wonder if anything is important. A wonderful coming of age story, and winner of the 1985 National Jewish Book Award for Children's Literature.

Five hundred dollars: that's what they need. Five hundred and twelve dollars and seventy-two cents: that's what they make from their concert in Missy's barn. Popcorn is on the way!But will the group be able to cut a demo at famous Long View Farm Studio? And will a record company be impressed enough to sign them up?Twelve-year-old Mark Newman, Popcorn's leader and keyboard player, has dreamed about it so much that it seems real. His friends—Missy, on drums, and Richard, on guitar—are not so sure.But applause carries them—applause, hard work, and the encouragement of Roger, Mark's martial arts instructor. When Popcorn plays, Mark doesn't even think about Joel "The Troll" Hanson who is waiting in the wings to demolish him. When Popcorn plays, people smile. And though Missy's rock hero, the great Lance Follinsbee, may dodge the press and his fans in New York's Central Park, Popcorn wouldn't dream of it! They go for the top.

Three brothers and four pork chops make for trouble. As Brian sees it, there are too many brothers and not enough chops.As his mother sees it, Dwight, Roy, and Brian fight (over ear size, pork chops, the pudding pot — you name it) because they need their father, who’s long since disappeared. There was Uncle Ted, but he died and now the family’s had to move to a hole-in-the-wall apartment in a rough section of Boston. Once there, the boys run across such original neighbors as Nora O’Leary, who knows the neighborhood’s secrets and doesn’t mind sharing them; Billy Blackstock, an eleven-year-old pirate; crabby old One-eyed Crevins; and “Foshey Bones,” tyrannical mistress of the walloping broom.Enter Currie Wichita, master of the bullwhip, and a match for any meanie who might threaten Jennifer Jefferson or her three sons. Currie is also a spinner of tales, a candidate for the stickball hall of fame, a joke-teller, an inventor, wall painter celestial, good friend and loving substitute father. He’s also wanted by the police.No matter. Currie is enough original neighbors all in one to last Brian a lifetime. If Currie will only stay put so the lifetime can last …