Books with author Mary Schmidt

Written in a voice that is charming, witty, and honest, Uncharted Waters shares the stories of a Fortune 500 executive learning to sail, learning to love, learning to fight for the water and life she holds dear. Mary McKSchmidt is an adventurer—a woman who wanders across southern Africa, achieves success in positions typically held by men, hikes, bikes, and camps alone up the eastern coast of Lake Michigan, and joins her fun-loving, equally-adventuresome husband on voyages across the sometimes treacherous, always unpredictable, waters of Lake Michigan. In the presence of this lake, she gains clarity, finds inner strength, and hears the whispered musings of her heart.When she discovers Lake Michigan and all the Great Lakes are at risk, potentially damaged beyond repair, she replaces her briefcase, calculator, and business suit with a notepad, camera, and foul weather gear and embarks on a new adventure, this time to help create the political will necessary to clean up and protect the lakes. Captivating, heart-warming, and insightful, Uncharted Waters serves as a reminder that while we can live without a lot of things, clean, safe drinking water is not one of them.

The two-time Newbery Honor winner Gary D. Schmidt delivers the shattering story of Joseph, a father at thirteen, who has never seen his daughter, Jupiter. After spending time in a juvenile facility, he’s placed with a foster family on a farm in rural Maine. Here Joseph, damaged and withdrawn, meets twelve-year-old Jack, who narrates the account of the troubled, passionate teen who wants to find his baby at any cost. In this riveting novel, two boys discover the true meaning of family and the sacrifices it requires.

A 2005 Newbery Honor Book It only takes a few hours for Turner Buckminster to start hating Phippsburg, Maine. No one in town will let him forget that he's a minister's son, even if he doesn't act like one. But then he meets Lizzie Bright Griffin, a smart and sassy girl from a poor nearby island community founded by former slaves. Despite his father's-and the town's-disapproval of their friendship, Turner spends time with Lizzie, and it opens up a whole new world to him, filled with the mystery and wonder of Maine's rocky coast. The two soon discover that the town elders, along with Turner's father, want to force the people to leave Lizzie's island so that Phippsburg can start a lucrative tourist trade there. Turner gets caught up in a spiral of disasters that alter his life-but also lead him to new levels of acceptance and maturity. This sensitively written historical novel, based on the true story of a community's destruction, highlights a unique friendship during a time of change. Author's note.

Diary of a Unicorn is a magical story that follows a Unicorn on her first day of school. She learns that her first day has moments that are sad and scary. But there are also times that can be full of joy and excitement as she meets new friends and her eyes are opened up to a new world of creativity! This story captures the playfulness of author, Diana Alber, and the joy of author, Brenda Li! Perfect for ages 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and Pre-K to 5th grade!

In this Newbery Honor-winning novel, Gary D. Schmidt offers an unforgettable antihero. The Wednesday Wars is a wonderfully witty and compelling story about a teenage boy's mishaps and adventures over the course of the 1967-68 school year in Long Island, New York. Meet Holling Hoodhood, a seventh-grader at Camillo Junior High, who must spend Wednesday afternoons with his teacher, Mrs. Baker, while the rest of the class has religious instruction. Mrs. Baker doesn't like Holling-he's sure of it. Why else would she make him read the plays of William Shakespeare outside class? But everyone has bigger things to worry about, like Vietnam. His father wants Holling and his sister to be on their best behavior: the success of his business depends on it. But how can Holling stay out of trouble when he has so much to contend with? A bully demanding cream puffs; angry rats; and a baseball hero signing autographs the very same night Holling has to appear in a play in yellow tights! As fate sneaks up on him again and again, Holling finds Motivation-the Big M-in the most unexpected places and musters up the courage to embrace his destiny, in spite of himself.

A 2005 Newbery Honor Book It only takes a few hours for Turner Buckminster to start hating Phippsburg, Maine. No one in town will let him forget that he's a minister's son, even if he doesn't act like one. But then he meets Lizzie Bright Griffin, a smart and sassy girl from a poor nearby island community founded by former slaves. Despite his father's-and the town's-disapproval of their friendship, Turner spends time with Lizzie, and it opens up a whole new world to him, filled with the mystery and wonder of Maine's rocky coast. The two soon discover that the town elders, along with Turner's father, want to force the people to leave Lizzie's island so that Phippsburg can start a lucrative tourist trade there. Turner gets caught up in a spiral of disasters that alter his life-but also lead him to new levels of acceptance and maturity. This sensitively written historical novel, based on the true story of a community's destruction, highlights a unique friendship during a time of change. Author's note.

Carter Jones is astonished early one morning when he finds a real English butler, bowler hat and all, on the doorstep—one who stays to help the Jones family, which is a little bit broken. In addition to figuring out middle school, Carter has to adjust to the unwelcome presence of this new know-it-all adult in his life and navigate the butler's notions of decorum. And ultimately, when his burden of grief and anger from the past can no longer be ignored, Carter learns that a burden becomes lighter when it is shared. Sparkling with humor, this insightful and compassionate story will resonate with readers who have confronted secrets of their own.

In this debut story by best selling author, A.M. Schmidt, Knox and Robot Mox grab the attention of all Minecraft and Roblox enthusiast from page one! For ages 6-10, boys and girls will be mesmerized by from start to finish! Knox lives in a small town with his family. His best friend has just moved away. The tough kids at school are starting to pick on him. Knox needs a best friend now more than ever before. This is a beginner chapter book story to engage the young reader into a world where your best friend does not have to be a human. It combines the adventures of Dav Pilkey with the heart of stories like Diary of a Minecraft Zombie. Let your image soar in this world of adventure where a young boy and robot never give up just to be friends. Perfect for ages 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and grades 1 to grades 5.

In this adventurous children's story, by best selling author A.M.Schmidt, a girl and her puppy must learn the true power of love and friendship. Perfect for ages 3-8! It combines the adventures of Clifford and the playfulness of Biscuit with the heart of authors like Shel Silverstein and Eric Carle. While playing with her friends, Zoe forgets about watching her young puppy. Her heart is broken and she knows she is the only one that can bring her puppy back home. Her puppy must survive on her own in the outdoors. Can Zoe find her in time? This is a children's story about friendships, love, and hope. Perfect for ages 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and Pre-K to 5th grade.

A 2005 Newbery Honor Book It only takes a few hours for Turner Buckminster to start hating Phippsburg, Maine. No one in town will let him forget that he's a minister's son, even if he doesn't act like one. But then he meets Lizzie Bright Griffin, a smart and sassy girl from a poor nearby island community founded by former slaves. Despite his father's-and the town's-disapproval of their friendship, Turner spends time with Lizzie, and it opens up a whole new world to him, filled with the mystery and wonder of Maine's rocky coast. The two soon discover that the town elders, along with Turner's father, want to force the people to leave Lizzie's island so that Phippsburg can start a lucrative tourist trade there. Turner gets caught up in a spiral of disasters that alter his life-but also lead him to new levels of acceptance and maturity. This sensitively written historical novel, based on the true story of a community's destruction, highlights a unique friendship during a time of change. Author's note.

“Henry Smith’s father told him that if you build your house far enough away from Trouble, then Trouble will never find you.”But Trouble comes careening down the road one night in the form of a pickup truck that strikes Henry’s older brother, Franklin. In the truck is Chay Chouan, a young Cambodian from Franklin’s preparatory school, and the accident sparks racial tensions in the school—and in the well-established town where Henry’s family has lived for generations. Caught between anger and grief, Henry sets out to do the only thing he can think of: climb Mt. Katahdin, the highest mountain in Maine, which he and Franklin were going to climb together. Along with Black Dog, whom Henry has rescued from drowning, and a friend, Henry leaves without his parents’ knowledge. The journey, both exhilarating and dangerous, turns into an odyssey of discovery about himself, his older sister, Louisa, his ancestry, and why one can never escape from Trouble.

What fills a hand fuller than a skein of gold? By order of the king, two boys, Tousle and Innes, must find the answer to this puzzling riddle within seven days or be killed. A former nursemaid to the queen’s child tells the boys that the banished queen may have the answer they seek. Danger presents itself at every turn, for the boys are pursued by the Great Barons, who are secretly plotting against the king. Another pursuer, the greedy King’s Grip, reveals a strange story of a little man who once spun straw into gold of incredible beauty for the queen but then disappeared with her firstborn son. Tousle realizes that the man he calls Da is the strange little man and, even more amazing, that he himself may be the lost prince. Or could it be Innes, who although cruelly blinded can hear the music of the dawn?This skillful blend of fantasy and adventure reveals what might have happened before the queen makes her third and last guess and the story of Rumpelstiltskin—as we know it—ends.