Books published by publisher Firebird Books / Scholastic

From School Library Journal: Grade 5-8-This novel goes beyond the usual baseball story by introducing the deeper issue of big developers encroaching upon nature and small-town life in rural California. Doc Altenheimer, an 87-year-old apple rancher, seems to be ready to sell his 320 acres of prime real estate that makes up a good part of Dillontown and its baseball field. He surprises young Tom and the rest of the residents by proposing that the decision should ride on a baseball game between the locals and the well-equipped summer-camp team down the road. Despite the odds against Dillontown, a surprise ending is in store. Characters are colorful and intriguing. There is the villainous mayor who believes there will be great prosperity if new roads and expensive houses are built. A mysterious boy, Cruz de la Cruz, arrives on horseback claiming to know the secret of hitting, and brings hope and spirit back to the residents. He and Tom seek out an old baseball legend, Dante Del Gato, a recluse who walked away from the majors many years before, and convince him to be their coach. Ritter's descriptive passages will have readers feeling they are actually at the ballpark tasting the swirling dust amid the authentic Mexican food cooked by the supportive townspeople. Spanish phrases blend in unobtrusively throughout the saga. This tale is peppered with both optimism and dilemmas; it has plenty of play-by-play action, lots of humor, and a triumphant ending. Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

When shy, ten-year-old Lucy comes to live with her aunt and uncle at their mission school, she's surprised at the number of harsh rules and restrictions imposed on the children. Why, she wonders, should the Indians have to do all the changing? And why is her aunt so strict with them? Then a girl called Raven runs away in protest, and Lucy knows she must overcome her timidity and stand up to her aunt—no matter what the consequences. Once again Gloria Whelan has taken a chapter from our past and transformed it into gripping, accessible, historically accurate fiction.

Beautiful, moving and humorous, this book will be cherished by anyone who reads it.” - The Los Angeles Times Publishers Weekly Introducing Miss Patel, French bulldog Mister Kinyatta, and an endless supply of wonderful tales of her audacious escapades. Suddenly Cornelia discovers that the world is a much more exciting place than she had originally thought. Join Cornelia as she meets a cast of unforgettable characters—from the ghost of King Arthur to Pablo Picasso to Virginia’s three winsome and irrepressible sisters. With deliciously imaginative storytelling that takes you around the world and back again, Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters is a magical story of friendship and adventure that you won’t soon forget. * * * Press play to visit Cornelia’s world in New York City, in this delightful trailer created by Scholastic Bookfairs: