Chris Grabenstein

Starting at a new middle school is tough enough when you only have to worry about homework, bad cafeteria lunches, and everyday bullies. But for Zack Jennings, the seventh grade is about to become a fight for his life. His new school is rumored to hide a lost treasure, and Zack quickly discovers that the terrifying legends are entirely real. He is not just dealing with strict teachers. He has to face off against a ruthless hit man desperate for the gold, a ghost looking to steal a new body, and a soul-sucking zombie lurking in the basement. Suddenly, math class does not seem so bad. Teaming up with his stepmother, his loyal dog Zipper, and his brave new friend Malik, Zack must navigate the deadly, haunted halls of his school to stop the supernatural threats. Packed with quirky characters, hilarious moments, and genuinely spooky thrills, this adventure will keep you guessing as Zack tries to survive his wildest school year yet.

The holiday season is the last thing Christina Lucci wants to think about. She is definitely not a fan of Christmas carols, bright decorations, or Santa Claus. For Christina, the holidays only bring back painful memories of her firefighter dad, who absolutely loved this time of year but passed away last Christmas. Now, she just wants to ignore the festivities entirely. But her family is facing a new crisis. Her grandfather's beloved old shoe repair shop is in serious financial trouble, and they are on the verge of losing it forever. It feels like only a miracle could save their family business. Just when things look bleakest, a tiny bit of magic arrives in the most unexpected form. Spunky, magical creatures known as brownies suddenly appear in the shop, and it turns out they are incredibly skilled at fixing shoes. You will be swept up in this heartwarming adventure as Christina discovers whether these tiny helpers can turn her family's luck around and help her find the true spirit of the holidays once more.

The Wonderland Motel is officially the most fun place on earth, and P.T. and Gloria are ready to prove it to the world. The ultimate beach competition has arrived, and the stakes have never been higher. Rival motels are pulling out all the stops with massive roller coasters, high-flying jet packs, and even pirate ships. But the Wonderland has something better than expensive rides: two highly motivated kids with a knack for outrageous ideas. To take home the grand prize, P.T. and Gloria must figure out the identities of the secret contest judges hidden among the tourists. Once they know who to impress, they have to invent a lineup of brand-new, jaw-dropping attractions that will completely outshine the competition. It is a race against the clock filled with wild hijinks, brilliant schemes, and plenty of hilarious disasters along the way. Will their creativity be enough to secure the trophy, or will the Wonderland crash and burn in front of everyone? Grab your sunscreen and get ready for a nonstop, laugh-out-loud vacation adventure where anything is possible.

Jake McQuade is officially the Smartest Kid in the Universe, and now he has to defend his title. Thanks to a handful of knowledge-enhancing jelly beans, Jake is heading off to an exclusive genius camp sponsored by the eccentric billionaire tech mogul Zane Zinkle. But this is not your average summer camp. Jake and his brilliant friends are surrounded by limo buses, robotic polar bears, and ultra-high-tech cabins. The fun takes a serious turn when Jake is forced to go head-to-head against Virtuoso, an artificially intelligent quantum computer designed by Zinkle himself. Virtuoso is the smartest machine in existence, and it is ready to prove that no human can match its processing power. It is boy versus bot in an epic, brain-bending showdown. Jake will need more than just jelly beans to outsmart a supercomputer; he will need creativity, teamwork, and a lot of courage. Packed with hilarious antics, clever puzzles, and non-stop adventure, this action-packed sequel delivers a thrilling ride through the wild world of competitive genius.

Life is a permanent vacation when you live in the world's wackiest motel! P.T. Wilkie and his best friend, Gloria, are gearing up for St. Pete Beach's first-ever Sandapalooza. The Wonderland Motel's biggest rival, the snooty Conch Reef Resort, is doing everything in its power to win the epic sand sculpture contest. But P.T. has much bigger problems on his plate. The Wonderland has just opened a brand-new restaurant called the Banana Shack, and running a food joint is way harder than it looks. To make matters even worse, a royal guest's priceless tiara has mysteriously gone missing from the motel, and the prime suspect is the Wonderland's beloved housekeeper, Clara! Now, P.T. and Gloria have to juggle a million things at once. Can they manage the chaotic new restaurant, build a championship-winning sandcastle, and solve the mystery of the stolen crown before Clara takes the fall? Dive into the hilarious, sun-soaked hijinks of this wild middle-grade adventure where the laughs never stop and the mysteries keep you guessing!

Life is never boring for P.T. Wilkie when you live in the world's wackiest motel. The Wonderland Motel in St. Pete's Beach, Florida, is always full of surprises, but things reach a whole new level of crazy when Hollywood comes to town. The hottest teen idols and a famous YouTube sensation named Kevin the Monkey are looking for the perfect location to film their new movie, Beach Party Surf Monkey. P.T. and his brilliant business partner, Gloria, know that the Wonderland is the ultimate spot. They just have to convince the big-shot producers! But landing the movie deal is only the beginning. When crazed fans swarm the motel and the movie's biggest stars suddenly go missing, the entire production is thrown into chaos. P.T. must use his wildest stories and Gloria must use her sharpest strategies to save the movie before the Wonderland is completely washed up!

Nikki Van Wyck knows every inch of New York City's Central Park. She can recite the number of benches, map out the winding paths, and tell you exactly where to find the best hiding spots. But she is about to discover that her favorite place holds secrets that are not written in any guidebook. When Nikki and a group of new friends embark on a nighttime scavenger hunt to track down a hidden treasure, the familiar park transforms before her eyes. As the sun sets, the magic awakens, and the park's famous bronze statues suddenly come to life. What started as a simple game quickly becomes a thrilling, high-stakes adventure through an enchanted landscape. Nikki must use her expert knowledge and quick thinking to navigate this hidden world, uncover the park's deepest mysteries, and learn surprising truths about her own courage in this magical urban fantasy.

Calling all puzzle masters and book lovers! It is time to dive back into the most amazing library you have ever imagined, created by the one-and-only game maker, Mr. Lemoncello! This time, he has invited teams of kids from all over the country to compete in the first-ever Library Olympics. Imagine playing wild, brain-bending games among towering bookshelves and secret, high-tech passageways! But the games take a sudden turn when something strange starts happening. Important books are mysteriously vanishing from the library shelves, and it looks like someone is trying to stop kids from reading certain stories altogether. Suddenly, it is not just about winning gold medals anymore. Kyle and his friends have a massive mystery to solve! Join Kyle's team as they tackle tricky riddles, follow hidden clues, and work together to figure out who is behind the disappearing books. If you love exciting adventures, clever puzzles, and cheering for your favorite stories, you are in for a thrilling ride full of twists and surprises!

Get ready for another wild, high-tech adventure with Sammy Hayes-Rodriguez and his best bot-pal, E! In Sammy's house, living with robots is totally normal. E is not just Sammy's favorite robot; he is also helping Sammy's sister, Maddie, attend school from home. E is super helpful, friendly, and making lots of new friends in the classroom. But suddenly, things go terribly wrong! E starts acting really weird and glitchy. He cannot help Maddie anymore, and to make matters worse, a super cool, brand-new robot has arrived on the scene, making E feel completely left out. What is happening to Sammy's favorite bro-bot? Is he broken for good? Now it is up to Sammy to figure out what is wrong with E before it is too late. Can Sammy fix his mechanical best friend and save his family from a total robot meltdown? Dive into a world of whirring gears, blinking lights, and hilarious robot drama in this exciting tale of friendship and family!

It is story time at Hickleberry Elementary, and Stinky the stuffed skunk is ready to tell a tale like you have never heard before. Everyone knows the classic story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, but what actually happened after she jumped out the window and ran away? Stinky knows the hilarious truth! In this wildly funny fractured fairy tale, Goldilocks continues her rude streak by barging in on the Three Little Pigs, a group of friendly capybaras, and a family of flamingos who are not happy with her terrible manners. But her bad behavior finally catches up with her, turning her beautiful golden hair into gloppy, green pond scum! Packed with silly jokes and funny illustrations in every chapter, this entertaining adventure teaches a gentle lesson about manners while keeping young readers laughing out loud from beginning to end.

You probably think you know the story of Cinderella and her beautiful glass slippers, but you have never heard the hilariously messy truth. It is time to join Stinky the stuffed skunk at Hickleberry Elementary for another wild reading session. Everyone knows the original tale ends with Cinderella happily marrying the handsome prince, but only Stinky knows what really went down after they got engaged. In this twisted fairy tale, you will discover the completely disgusting disaster that happened to the evil stepsisters' house. You will also learn a very important lesson about why you should never, ever eat a poison apple pie, and find out exactly how smelly a pair of magical glass slippers can actually get after a long night of dancing. Written by bestselling authors Chris and J.J. Grabenstein and loaded with funny illustrations, this chapter book brings a fresh, goofy spin to a beloved classic. It is packed with sweaty feet, sneaky sabotage, and ridiculous jokes that will keep you giggling from the very first page to the stinky end.

Jamie Grimm is a middle schooler on a major mission. He wants to become the greatest stand-up comedian in the world, even if his own life does not give him much to laugh about. Jamie is the new kid in town, stuck living with his aunt, uncle, and their awful son Stevie. Stevie is a relentless bully who never lets Jamie's wheelchair stop him from making Jamie's life miserable. But Jamie refuses to let his tough situation bring him down. When his uncle mentions a local contest called The Planet's Funniest Kid Comic, Jamie knows he absolutely has to enter. He is ready to take the stage and share his jokes with the world. As the competition heats up, Jamie starts to wonder if the judges are laughing at his talent or just rewarding him out of pity. He will have to decide if he is brave enough to share the truth about his past instead of hiding behind his comedy act.

Dodge incoming missiles, map hidden undersea caves, and outrun dangerous secret agents? That is just a normal day in the life of the adventurous Kidd family! Bick, Beck, Tommy, and Storm are thrilled to be on an exciting new mission, using cutting-edge augmented reality gear to uncover a legendary, long-lost treasure. But the excitement shatters when their beloved ship, The Lost, explodes in a massive ball of fire. Suddenly, the four siblings find themselves stranded on a small raft drifting in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and they quickly discover their parents have been kidnapped by maniacal rival treasure hunters. Now, it is entirely up to the Kidd kids to follow a trail of complex clues around the globe. Join the ultimate race against time as they navigate treacherous waters and solve ancient puzzles to rescue their parents before they lose everything they hold dear.

Kyle Keeley is the ultimate gamer. Whether it is a board game, a word puzzle, or the latest video game, Kyle is always ready to play. So when he learns that his absolute hero, the eccentric and brilliant game-maker Luigi Lemoncello, has designed the town's brand-new library, Kyle is determined to be there for opening night. He manages to win a highly coveted spot as one of twelve kids invited to an exclusive overnight lock-in. The library is a wonderland filled with interactive holograms, hover ladders, and endless games. But when morning arrives, the doors stay firmly locked. Mr. Lemoncello has designed the ultimate challenge. To find the hidden escape route, Kyle and the other kids must work together to solve every clue, crack every code, and decipher every secret puzzle hidden among the books. It is a race against time where reading just might save the day.

Prepare yourself for another hilarious trip to the library with Stinky the stuffed skunk. After the school librarian finishes reading the classic fable of the Three Billy Goats Gruff to your class and steps out of the room, Stinky takes over to reveal the true story. Get ready to hear all about the Three Smelly Goats Gruff. Instead of the usual heroic goats defeating a terrible monster, this time you get to experience the entire wild adventure from the grumpy troll's point of view. It turns out those goats might not have been so innocent after all, and the poor troll living under the bridge has a very different side to the story to share. You will laugh out loud as Stinky flips everything you thought you knew about this famous fairy tale completely upside down. Brought to life by the bestselling team of Chris and J.J. Grabenstein, this highly illustrated chapter book is stuffed with goofy jokes, clever twists, and silly surprises on every page. If you love classic stories with a messy, funny, and slightly stinky twist, this is exactly what you need to read next.

Get ready for another hilarious, hair-raising adventure with the First Family of Action. Bick Kidd and his globe-trotting siblings Beck, Storm, and Tommy have successfully completed their first major treasure hunt. But their mission is far from over. Their father is still lost at sea, and their mother is being held captive by a crew of nasty pirates. Their desperate search for a rescue plan takes the siblings all the way to Africa, where they must travel down the legendary Nile River. Along the way, they will have to navigate a maze of ancient Egyptian pyramids hidden in the desert and survive the dangers of wet and wild jungles. From life-threatening wilderness diseases to angry hippos and some seriously bad guys, the Kidds face impossible odds. They must use all their wits and teamwork to find the hidden treasure, rescue their parents, and save the day.

Sammy Hayes-Rodriguez already has a hard enough time flying under the radar at school. Now, his genius mother is forcing him to bring her latest invention to his fifth grade class: a walking, talking, super-nerdy robot named E. Living in a house packed with colorful, mechanical creations is totally normal for Sammy. But E, short for Error, is a different story. This robot actually thinks he is Sammy's brother, and his socially awkward antics are practically guaranteed to make Sammy the least popular kid in the building. Sammy just wants to survive the school year without completely ruining his reputation. Instead, he finds himself on a wild ride of hilarious mishaps, unexpected friendships, and mechanical mayhem. As the trial run continues, Sammy begins to realize there is much more to E than embarrassing calculations and robotic awkwardness. His annoying new mechanical brother is hiding an amazing secret, one that has the power to change his entire family forever. You will laugh out loud as Sammy figures out that sometimes, being a little bit weird is the best way to fit in.

Have you ever wondered what happened to the boy who cried wolf after everyone stopped believing him? Get ready for the hilarious truth, told by none other than Stinky the stuffed skunk during story time at Hickleberry Elementary. According to Stinky, the infamous boy packs his bags and moves away to the Big City. He even scores a professional gig crying wolf for a very fancy company. But when boredom strikes again, he decides to use his booming voice to shout a completely different word: underpants! As you can probably guess, shouting about underwear causes some serious problems. When the queen herself hears his inappropriate cries, she takes major offense. Suddenly, the entire Big City descends into total chaos. Now the boy must figure out how to clean up his stinky mess and save the day. This laugh-out-loud chapter book series from bestselling authors Chris and J.J. Grabenstein is packed with silly illustrations on every single page. It is the perfect read if you love classic tales turned completely upside down, packed with endless giggles and just the right amount of gross-out humor.

Get ready to hear the real ending to a classic fairy tale, courtesy of Stinky the stuffed skunk. It is story time once again at Hickleberry Elementary, and your class is reading Jack and the Beanstalk. Everyone knows the famous story ends with the grumpy giant tumbling down from the sky, but only Stinky knows the wacky events that happened next. While Jack goes on to sell his golden eggs and become a fancy billionaire, poor Hubert the giant is left stranded on the ground, miles away from his home in the clouds. With zero friends and nowhere else to turn, Hubert realizes he has to put his massive size to good use. He discovers the one place where being a giant is actually a huge advantage: the basketball court. Hubert joins the Droolville Dribblers, hoping to turn his luck around. But can a towering giant learn to sink the ultimate buzzer beater and finally find his way back home? Jam-packed with hilarious drawings, this wild chapter book from Chris and J.J. Grabenstein delivers endless laughs and proves that even giants need a little teamwork to succeed.

Bick, Beck, Storm, and Tommy Kidd are true professionals when it comes to uncovering the world's greatest lost treasures. They do the hard work without ever seeking out fame or glory. So, they are less than thrilled when their ultimate rivals, the Collier Kids, start treasure hunting for the cameras. The Colliers care more about looking good for their streaming show than actually recovering historical artifacts. When the Kidds are invited to compete directly against the Colliers for the title of The World's Greatest Treasure Hunting Kids, they jump at the chance to show everyone how real exploring is done. But the competition quickly takes a serious turn. With dark rumors swirling about a massive mistake made by their great-grandfather years ago, the Kidds realize that more than just a shiny title is on the line. They must solve a deep family mystery and pull off their biggest treasure haul yet.

Put your detective skills to the ultimate test with a thrilling collection of twenty brain-bending cases. Bestselling author Chris Grabenstein teams up with the Mystery Writers of America to bring you an interactive reading experience where you are the lead investigator. Instead of just following along, you get the chance to unravel the riddles and crack the cases before the authors reveal the final solutions. You will encounter everything from hapless superheroes and stolen squirrel monkeys to haunted basements and highly suspicious triplets. Each story drops you right into the middle of a hilarious, puzzling, or action-packed crime scene. You will need to pay close attention to the clues, analyze the suspects, and use your sharpest logic to figure out who did it. Featuring stories from beloved authors like Peter Lerangis, Stuart Gibbs, Lauren Magaziner, and Kate Milford, this anthology is packed with twists and turns. Grab your magnifying glass and get ready to solve some of the most entertaining mysteries ever written.