Books with author Jennifer L. Gee

Twelve-year-old June Farrell is sure of one thing—she’s great at making pies—and she plans to prove it by winning a blue ribbon in the Champlain Valley Fair pie competition. But a backlash against Vermont’s civil union law threatens her family’s security and their business. Even when faced with bullying, June won’t give up on winning the blue ribbon; more importantly, she won’t give up on her family.

Ten-year-old Millie McLendon is overwhelmed. Her stepmother disapproves of everything she does. Her baby brother cries all the time. And she has her chores her schoolwork to tend to. It will take an event of historic proportions to help her learn what's really important--and it's about to happen. It's August of 1863, and Quantrill's Raiders are about to ride to through the bustling little town of Lawrence, Kansas, shooting and pillaging everything in sight. It will take all of Millie's resourcefulness and courage to keep her family and friends alive.

In Jennifer L. Holm's New York Times bestselling, Newbery Honor winning middle grade historical fiction novel, life isn't like the movies. But then again, 11-year-old Turtle is no Shirley TempleShe's smart and tough and has seen enough of the world not to expect a Hollywood ending. After all, it's 1935 and jobs and money and sometimes even dreams are scarce. So when Turtle's mama gets a job housekeeping for a lady who doesn't like kids, Turtle says goodbye without a tear and heads off to Key West, Florida to live with relatives she's never met. Florida's like nothing Turtle's ever seen before though. It's hot and strange, full of rag tag boy cousins, family secrets, scams, and even buried pirate treasure! Before she knows what's happened, Turtle finds herself coming out of the shell she's spent her life building, and as she does, her world opens up in the most unexpected ways. Filled with adventure, humor and heart, Turtle in Paradise is an instant classic both boys and girls with love.Includes an Author's Note with photographs and further background on the Great Depression, as well as additional resources and websites.Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews:"Sweet, funny and superb."Starred Review, Booklist:"Just the right mixture of knowingness and hope . . . a hilarious blend of family drama seasoned with a dollop of adventure."

A young girl learns how to cope with her noise sensitivity and step outside of her comfort zone in this heartwarming middle grade novel that’s perfect for fans of If This Were a Story and El Deafo.Ten-year-old Amelia does not like noise. From subway brakes to squeaky sneakers, she is sensitive to sound, just like her dad. Amelia has always worn noise-canceling headphones, but now that she’s going into fifth grade, her parents want her to stop wearing them. To make matters worse, she must learn to play an instrument! Or, as Amelia sees it, make noise on purpose. To help Amelia cope, her father gives her a pair of earmuffs to wear instead. Even with her new earmuffs, Amelia struggles at school…until she gets partnered with Madge in music class. Madge is loud and bold and goofy—everything Amelia is not. And so Amelia is surprised when Madge wants to be friends. Still, it’s not long though before Amelia’s quiet nature clashes with Madge’s loud personality. And when Madge disappears after an argument, Amelia fears Madge might be in trouble. If she’s going to help her friend, she will have to find a way to let in the noisy world she’s muffled for so long.

Every year Lizzie and her family travel to their favorite spot, Beaver Brook Campground. In the year of this story telling, Lizzie is almost 12, entering middle school, and has been temporarily charged with babysitting her two-year-old brother. She becomes distracted by the allure of the campground, and her little brother wonders into the woods...resulting in a tragic series of events. All of this happens in the time frame of nine minutes.Nine Minutes and Counting brings the reader into Lizzie’s journey. Lizzie enters middle school and has to navigate her classes, her friendships, and her unraveling home life, all while coping with her feelings of grief and guilt. The telling of this story intentionally weaves in several essential components that assist Lizzie in her path toward healing. The reader experiences this difficult and emotionally raw journey through the voice of Lizzie as she encounters a very special teacher and enters a grief group with other “middle school-ers” who have experienced loss.The very dramatic mistake Lizzie makes, by taking her eyes off from her little brother, will make this story relatable to all different readers. Middle grade students, young adults, parents, teachers, coaches, administrators, and school counselors could all walk away from reading this book with new insights and tools for coping with their own tragedy, or for helping someone else mired in guilt and grief.Although moments in this story are incredibly dark and gritty, the overall tone is one of hope. Lizzie models strength and resiliency and the reader will be able to be able to experience her march, stepping one foot in front of the other, from darkness into the light.

Learning to read is a fun and exciting time in a childs life. In addition to being able to decode and recognize words, it is important that children be able to understand what they are reading. Reading comprehension is made up of several skills that can be honed and sharpened with practice and repetition. This book provides that along with activities designed to strengthen your childs ability to problem-solve, think critically, and become familiar with the academic language commonly used in the school setting. Repetition is key, but remember to have fun! Research has shown that the brain is more receptive to learning and acquiring skills when not under stress. Upon your childs completion of each activity, use the provided incentive chart and stickers to track progress and celebrate your childs success.Whether students need extra practice with grade-level skills or a head start on next year, Stick Kids® Workbooks offer engaging activities, games, and puzzles that help make learning lots of fun. Each 56-page book features full-color activities, a list of the skills, and an explanation of why those skills are important for development. Also included are helpful tips, an answer key, a handy tracking sheet, stickers for acknowledging achievements, and appearances by the lovable Stick Kids!These right-sized (7 x 9) skill practice workbooks are perfect for use at school, or as entertaining activities on the go. Tuck them into a backpack, purse, or travel bag. Great for school breaks, vacations, and year-long practice.SKILLSPicture cluesCause and effectSequencingFiction/nonfictionFollowing directionsCharacter analysisCategorizingContext cluesReading for detailsDrawing conclusions Main ideaMaking inferencesHOW YOU CAN HELP SUPPORT LEARNINGWork with your child in a quiet, calm setting.Complete some activities together. Keep a positive attitude, and provide words of encouragement to support your childs journey in becoming a lifelong learner.If your child has trouble answering a question, ask him or her to read it aloud to you. Demonstrate how to fi nd the answers using the text or pictures. Discuss new words. For example, This big house is called a palace. Do you know what a palace is? Who do you think lives in a palace?

According to the prophecy, Lugh is destined to kill his own grandfather. Determined to escape his fate, he runs the risk of drawing all of Ireland into war.The story of Cath Maige Tuired has enthralled readers since the 9th Century. With this fictionalized retelling, the exciting story of the Battle for Ireland between the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Fomori reaches a new generation of young adult readers.

Maggie Phillips hasn’t had it easy. As the wife of retired Navy SEAL, and the adoptive mother of two little hellions, Maggie is constantly looking for ways to improve her family’s financial situation. She accepts a cleaning position for her new neighbors (who redefine the term ‘eccentric’), never imagining she will end up as the sole alibi for a man with a fascination for medieval torture devices when he is brought up on murder charges. While Maggie struggles to prove the man’s innocence, her deadbeat brother arrives, determined to sell Maggie and Neil on his next great scheme and to mooch with a vengeance. If that isn’t bad enough, her in-laws, (the cut-throat corporate attorneys) descend on the house, armed with disapproval and condemnation, for the family’s annual Thanksgiving celebration. As the police investigation intensifies, Maggie searches for the killer among the upper echelon of Hudson, Massachusetts in the only way she can— by scrubbing their thrones. Of the porcelain variety, that is… A really enjoyable read—laugh out loud funny—one that I’m glad to have had the privilege to review. I look forward to more of Ms. Hart’s work. Excellent! -Cocktail Reviews "a wonderfully fun whodunit" -ParaNormalRomance.org A Night Owl Romance Top Pick!

It’s1953 and 11-year-old Penny dreams of a summer of butter pecan ice cream, swimming, and baseball. But nothing’s that easy in Penny’s family. For starters, she can’t go swimming because her mother’s afraid she’ll catch polio at the pool. To make matters worse, her favorite uncle is living in a car. Her Nonny cries every time her father’s name is mentioned. And the two sides of her family aren’t speaking to each other!Inspired by Newbery Honor winner Jennifer Holm’s own Italian American family, Penny from Heaven is a shining story about the everyday and the extraordinary, about a time in America’s history, not all that long ago, when being Italian meant that you were the enemy. But most of all, it’s a story about families—about the things that tear them apart and bring them together. And Holm tells it with all the richness and the layers, the love and the laughter of a Sunday dinner at Nonny’s. So pull up a chair and enjoy the feast! Buon appetito!

"I was on my claim, I told myself over and over... Nothing bad could happen to me here." With a mind of her own and a handsome suitor who loves her for it, seventeen-year-old Jane Peck is the darling of the Washington Territory. She's outwitted wild animals, vengeful ghosts, and a disloyal fiancé, but when her finishing school nemesis Sally Biddle invades Shoalwater Bay, Jane discovers that the most dangerous thing on the frontier may be an impeccably dressed debutante. As the Biddles of Philadelphia charm their way into Jane's close-knit community, she finds everything she holds dear threatened -- including her true love, a rakish sailor named Jehu. Will Jane's claim on happiness slip away? This third book of the richly historical Boston Jane trilogy carries on the tradition of rip-roaring romance and adventure that began with Boston Jane: An Adventure and Boston Jane: Wilderness Days. Jane has survived the wilderness and claimed herself a home, but her frontier trials are far from over. It will take all of the spunk and spit Jane can muster to protect her land and preserve her dreams.