Books published by publisher Meadow Road Publishing

Nothing in Meadowfield stirs up more excitement and anticipation than the emergence of the Great Cicada. The rare event happens but once every 17 Great Colds and Warming Times. Several suntimes of celebration surrounds the event; and the only bug-fellows that attend the Great Cicada Ball are those lucky enough to be alive and lucky enough to receive the Queen Bee's invitation. The second book in the Cockroach trilogy, The Great Cicada Ball, begins as final preparations for the festivities are underway. The Queen Bee's demands have reached the point of obsession. She orders her workers, especially Worker 1200, to complete every plan, schedule every event and organize each and every detail for the Ball. She does not intend for anything to go wrong. Her reputation and her legacy are on the line. More importantly, the future of Meadowfield is on the line as well. The Queen's decision to invite Cockroach, Stinkbug and Silverfish to the Ball and insist they take part in the entertainment could prove to be a big mistake. Then again, that decision may be the least of her problems.All the whimsical characters from A Pilgrimage of Pests, the first book in the series, return in this sequel. Cockroach, Silverfish and Stinkbug are up to their usual tricks; but Praying Mantis plays a bigger role, as does Worker 1200, the demanding Queen and the mysterious beetle known as Scarab the Dung. There's a host of new characters too and many new surprises leading right up to the exciting, final moments of The Great Cicada Ball.

Meadowfield is on the brink. The pasture is dying, nectar has stopped flowing, the Beak Beasts are terrorizing the land and, to make matters worse, a rebellion is brewing in the depths of The Unknown Forest. In the midst of all this chaos, who has been entrusted to save the Kingdom? The most unlikely group of heroes any bug-fellow could ever imagine-Cockroach, Stinkbug and Silverfish!Heroes of Meadowfield, the final book in the trilogy Cockroach of Meadowfield, promises all the humor, adventure, and intrigue of the firsttwo books. Rediscover the quirky characters, learn the secret of the dreadful Loomers and find out how real heroes are made.

AUDIENCE: Teens, video-game fanatics, anyone who needs a laugh.TEASER: Cars, catapults, and cow pies. Need we say more?SUMMARY: It's summer in Wahoo, Nebraska, and everyone is obsessed with playing a video game named Car Wars, lassoing dead pigs that float past on the river, and catapulting cow pies at each other. Maybe building a medieval weapon of mass destruction is going too far, but Max, Baz, and Ali love to take it to the MAX.VIDEO-GAME TIE-IN:Max and his friends can't stop playing a video game named Car Wars. Every outrageous act from the game is copied by psycho-classmate Roger Watley, who has built a catapult that hurls some very gross things. Max decides that there's only one solution: confront Roger with a medieval weapon of mass destruction once used to toss dead cows into castle courtyards.The Car Wars video game is fully loaded with a cast of crazies:- Julian Caesar (an evil military leader).- The Crusher (who turns cars into crumpled Coke cans).- Doctor LeStrange (a warlord who wears suits made from cat fur).

When James and his big sister go to stay with their Granny in the Woods one summer they discover that, just like people, there are lots and lots and lots of different and interesting (and sometimes very silly) sorts of bears. This fun and beautifully-illustrated alphabet picture book is the perfect introduction to the world of words for beginning and early readers. Whether holding their breath and floating up into the sky and becoming a menace to onlookers, riding motorcycles or hiding under the stairs, the bears in The Bear Facts are certain to delight and entertain readers of all ages. Recommended for Ages: 3+

Lyle Chickan (also known as Yellowbeak the Pirate) had now come exactly half-way around the world from where he had begun his adventure. He was also exactly half-way through the magic Book of Geography which a ghostly pirate-bear had given to him when his adventure began.Although Lyle loved his pirate life, he had begun to yearn for the family and friends and love that he had left behind.He knew that a single step in any direction would take him closer to home, but should he go back the way he had come, or should he go forward, in spite of the unknown perils it might conceal?As he pondered his choices he suddenly realised that if he went back the way he had come, he would never escape the magic of the Geography Book. The only way that he could ever get home was by going ahead and finishing the story.He then knew that the Magic Book was meant to teach us that we can all make our own Life-stories simply by making our own choices as to what we really care about......Now all he had to do was to get Home!

The poems in this short book (24 pages) were written by the English classical scholar A. E. Housman (1859-1936). This selection of his poetry has been embellished with full-colour illustrations.Housman suffered great loss, failure and heartbreak during his life, but somehow managed to turn his experiences into some of the most beautiful elegiac poetry ever written in the English language.Despite the distance between his world and ours it is impossible not to believe that he talks directly to us, though we may think and believe otherwise than he.If there is such a thing as genius (and I believe there is), surely one of its manifestations must be the transformation of bitter disappointment and loss into a thing of beauty, and sometimes, wisdom.All we have to do is listen.

The Love That Is True - Big Activity Book helps children explore God's love as they color and play their way through more than 100 pages. This book follows the same outline as the popular hard-cover book starting with Creation and moving through the Spiritual War, Jesus, being a friend of God, and finally Heaven. Then there is an area of games with friends, scripture references and a teaching guide. This is a must-have companion for every child that enjoys 'The Love That Is True'.

AUDIENCE: Cat lovers, cat haters, and video-game fanatics.VIDEO-GAME TIE-IN: Total Catastrophe is the name of the novel as well as the video game our young heroes can't stop playing. TEASER:Your principal says you're lying.Your friends are freaking out.When life's a total catastrophe, play games!SUMMARY: Total Catastrophe (also known as "Total Cat") has two twelve-year-old heroines as well as two female villains. And weird cats, which are part of both the main story line and the video game (Total Catastrophe) that the kids of Wahoo Middle School are obsessed with. The villains in our story aren't just determined, they're vicious. They use lies like switchblades and see truth as an inconvenient obstacle that must be kicked aside.“Glee-less Gleason” (the new principal) and Maggie Quinn (age twelve, Mrs. Gleason's hand-picked helper) know that gaining respect takes time. Fear works faster.Our middle-school heroines are Emma Pratt and Samantha James. Em is unfairly accused of cheating by the principal, then has an award stripped from her while the entire school watches. Sami's nemesis is classmate Gerald Ferguson, who has cheated his way into the drool-worthy status of being a super-GoG. She's certain that Gerald isn't worthy of this honor but she can't prove it – not yet.Gerald's not satisfied just to humiliate Sami during video-game competitions; he trashes her reputation. And Principal Gleason isn't content with obedience, she demands trembling subservience.But Em and Sami are tougher than they look. They bow to no one. Together they're determined to restore their reputations and reveal the true character of their accusers.Curriculum Tie-In: Arthur Miller's classic play The Crucible (about girls who are unfairly accused of practicing witchcraft) is being studied in Sami and Em's English class.

Meadowfield is on the brink. The pasture is dying, nectar has stopped flowing, the Beak Beasts are terrorizing the land and, to make matters worse, a rebellion is brewing in the depths of The Unknown Forest. In the midst of all this chaos, who has been entrusted to save the Kingdom? The most unlikely group of heroes any bug-fellow could ever imagine—Cockroach, Stinkbug and Silverfish! Heroes of Meadowfield, the final book in the trilogy Cockroach of Meadowfield, promises all the humor, adventure, and intrigue of the first two books. Rediscover the quirky characters, learn the secret of the dreadful Loomers and find out how real heroes are born.