Books with author John McKinley

It's a Thanksgiving disaster for Freddy Thresher! When his first-grade class begins planning the annual Thanksgiving play, everyone will have a role. Freddy's friends are all happy to be Pilgrims and Indians, but there is one part that nobody wants to be-the turkey! Freddy hopes he won't get the part, but-you guessed it-he gets the unlucky role. Now Freddy has to find a way to play the turkey while everyone is laughing at him. First-grade and kindergarten teacher Abby Klein has been teaching for almost twenty years, and she brings her first-hand knowledge of children to this popular series. As well, she tailors each story and the language in it for new readers-using just the right words as well as the issues that are most important to children this age. For extra fun, the word fin is hidden in every illustration, and children will have a good time playing the games in Freddy's Fun Pages at the end of the book. Attention shark lovers! Freddy Thresher is a first-grade expert on sharks, and each book features cool facts about sharks as an added bonus.

Meet Freddy Thresher, a boy who has a nose for trouble and a last name that's made him an expert on sharks. You can learn more about sharks, too, in Freddy's Shark Journal at the back of the book. And see if you can find the word fin hidden in every picture! With content, humor, characters, and vocabulary that are perfect for the chapter-book reader--it's time to get ready for Freddy!

Watch out, Junie B., there's a new kid on the block! It's Freddy Thresher, a 1st grader who knows it's a jungle out there. Here's the fifth in a new series by an elementary teacher who's seen it all."I have a problem. A really, really, big problem. My class is having a talent show, and I have no talent!"Everyone's excited about the first grade Grandparents Day talent show--everyone except Freddy. He thinks he has no talent, and bully Max Sellars's teasing is making him feel even worse! But when Freddy's dad teaches him some magic tricks, it just might make Freddy a star, AND get Max off his back. Tricks are tricky though, and when things go awry, Freddy must count on Papa Dave and his sister Suzie to make some extra-special magic happen, both for the talent show, and for Max!