Books with author Jim Murphy

It’s the summer before senior year and 16-year-old Winston Downs has a problem. Okay, maybe it's not a problem exactly. He’s just found out he’s the subject of a crush. He was not prepared for this. He’s not prepared for anything. With less than a year before he’s supposed to have everything “figured out”, what can Winston do? Winston can write. What starts as a diary of emotions (that may or may not be given to his admirer) becomes a journal featuring explanations of his past, examinations of his present, and expectations of his future.

A hair-cutting machine, a used gum receptacle, jumping shoes, and more of the strangest inventions ever! A hat that can tip itself. A suitcase that turns into a bathtub. A pair of protective eyeglasses for chickens. These are just three of the hundreds of unusual inventions that people have dreamed up over the last two centuries. Some, such as the mustache guard, made perfect sense when they first appeared. Others were considered just plain silly. Jim Murphy has compiled a collection of the weirdest and wackiest inventions and presented them in a quiz style that is challenging and fun. Simple, clear explanations are provided on how the inventions worked or failed to work. Complete with over 100 colored illustrations of these crazy creations, this is the perfect gift for any child interested in science and inventions. Ages: 9–12.

Catch up on Mildred Hubble’s magical adventures at Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches with these reissued editions featuring energetic new covers.Mildred is back in trouble thanks to the new girl, Enid Nightshade, who isn’t as well behaved as she appears. The more Mildred tries to stay out of trouble, the more she finds herself in horrible situations. What can the disaster-prone worst witch do?

Everyday is like the one before on the Erie Canal, as twelve-year-old Maggie Haggerty plods slowly along behind her family's team of mules, one muddy step at a time. But when Maggie's papa loses all the family money in a bare-knuckle fight with a canal bully, things go from bad to worse. - Two-time Newbery Honor Book award winner, Murphy brings his master storytelling skills and eye for detail to this thrilling adventure.

Even crazier inventions for kids to learn about!A hair-cutting machine, a used gum receptacle, jumping shoes, and more of the strangest inventions ever! A hat that can tip itself. A suitcase that turns into a bathtub. A pair of protective eyeglasses for chickens. These are just three of the hundreds of unusual inventions that people have dreamed up over the last two centuries. Some, such as the mustache guard, made perfect sense when they first appeared. Others were considered just plain silly. Jim Murphy has compiled a collection of the weirdest and wackiest inventions and presented them in a quiz style that is challenging and fun. Simple, clear explanations are provided on how the inventions worked or failed to work. Complete with over 100 colored illustrations of these crazy creations, this is the perfect gift for any child interested in science and inventions. Ages: 9–12. 127 color illustrations

A talking watch. An overcoat for two people. A pair of training pants for poodles. In his companion to Weird & Wacky Inventions, Jim Murphy shows kids some additional baffling and utterly silly inventions in the form of a guessing game that is both challenging and fun. What is a finger-supporting device used for? Did the talking watch ever become available for sale in stores? What on earth is a beard grinder? Now for the first time in paperback, with full-color illustrations throughout, Baffling & Bizarre Inventions offers a glimpse into the life of inventors—both good and bad! Whether it’s a device for shaping the upper lip or a life preserver for horses, this parade of unusual inventions is a real treat for trivia lovers, budding artists, and any kid who has an interest in science and inventions.

In this inspiring biography, critically acclaimed author Jim Murphy tells the unique story of Pascal D’Angelo, who came to America in 1910 at the age of sixteen. Like so many immigrants from southern Italy and other parts of Europe, he took on the only job available to him, that of a manual laborer building roads and railways. Though his life was difficult, Pascal remained optimistic and never lost his sense of wonder at the world around him. He yearned for an outlet to express his passion, and so, remarkably, he taught himself English from newspapers and poetry books, in the process becoming a respected poet himself.Augmented with parallel references to other immigrant stories and accompanied by moving archival photographs, this story of one man’s life and noteworthy accomplishments is also a universal story shared by all American immigrants who helped build our nation. Source notes, bibliography, index.