Books with author Ron Barrett

“A” is for more than just Apple in this exuberant and interactive alphabet book from the creators of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.“A is for Apple…” but what else does it stand for? There are Avalanches of things that start with “A”: Artichokes! Airplanes! Aliens! What about C? D? E, F, and G? There are Cans of things that start with C, Dozens of Ds, Endless Es, whole Flocks of Fs, and, you guessed it, Globs of Gs. No sir, this is not your typical alphabet book. Filled with clever alliteration and vibrant illustrations, readers can sleuth their way through this vocabulary-expanding picture book and just might find their vocabulary reaching…excessive…heights.

Square meatballs. Sunrise mashed potatoes. Lemon blizzard parfaits. It’s dinnertime, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs style, and you get to be the chef!The tiny town of Chewandswallow is known for its edible weather: soup rain, mashed potato snow, and hamburger windstorms. And now people everywhere can also enjoy the delectable dishes featured in the bestselling Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Grandpa has been hard at work editing and compiling his favorite recipes, and he’s ready to share. However, this is Grandpa we’re talking about, so don’t expect a dry, straightforward collection. No, in addition to his thorough directions on how to make everything from Strawberry Tallcake to—oh yes, yes, yes—Meatballs, this spiral-bound book is filled with clever asides and scrumptious illustrations. From the Foggy Pea Soup to the Hamburgers Heading Toward Earth, these legendary recipes are delicious and easy to follow—so you can re-create culinary scenes from a cherished classic (no umbrellas necessary).

High school is rarely easy, especially for a tall, somewhat gangly Native American girl. Add a sprinkle of shyness, a dash of athletic prowess, an above-average IQ, and some bizarre history that places in the guardianship of her aunt. Then normal high school life is only an illusion.Kai Tiva faces an uphill struggle until she runs into Riley Beth James, the extroverted class cutie, at the principal’s office. Riley shows up for a newspaper interview, while Kai is summoned for punching out a classmate. Riley is the attractive girl-next-door-type whom everyone likes. Though a fairly good student, an emerging choral star, and wildly popular, she knows she’ll never live up to her older sister. She makes up for it with bravery, kindness, and a brash can-do attitude.Their odd matchup is strengthened by curiosity, compassion, humor, and all the drama of typical teenage life. But their experiences go beyond the normal teen angst; theirs is compounded by a curious attraction to each other, and an emerging, insidious danger related to mysterious death of Kai’s father.Their emerging friendship is tested as they navigate this risky challenge. But the powerful bond forged between them has existed through past lives. The outcome this time will affect the next generation of Kai’s people.

From the bestselling duo behind Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs comes the long-awaited “funny follow-up” (School Library Journal) to Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing, which shows us a hilarious new group of animals that shouldn’t, ever-ever-ever, dress like humans.Everyone knows that snakes and billy goats and walruses should definitely not wear clothing, but there are actually lots more animals that should definitely not wear clothing… Because a frog might jump out of it, Because a crab might tear it up, And because a penguin is already formally dressed! Judi and Ron Barrett, the team behind the Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs series, remind us once again why animals are better off just the way they are.

It looks like a newspaper, but the resemblance stops there. Ron Barrett’s off-the-wall parody covers such interesting news stories as “Gerbile Elected President of France” and “One-Minute-a-Day School Opens;” an interview with New York’s first teddy bear cab driver; a weather forecast prepared by the United States Bureau of Guessing; an entertainment section with a preview of the new TV season return of “Real Stupid World;” a home and family section with a Dear Gabby column, Your Horoscope, and other ridiculously unhelpful items. And what’s a newspaper without sports and comics? The Nutty News has it all plus lots of side-splitting advertisements. What’s funnier: Ron Barrett’s illustrations or his fake journalism? Our unscientific poll of five kids was split 50/50.From the Trade Paperback edition.