Patricia Reilly Giff

The month of December is supposed to be full of joy, but Emily is facing a frustrating challenge at school. Her class is doing a Secret Pal activity where everyone has to be extra kind to one person for the entire month. Out of all the kids in her class, Emily gets stuck with Jill Simon. Jill cries over everything, and Emily has no idea how she is going to keep up the kindness act for four whole weeks. Trying to be a good Secret Pal to someone you do not understand is much harder than it looks. But as the days go by, Emily might just discover that there is more to Jill than tears. You will enjoy watching Emily navigate the ups and downs of classroom life in this touching story. Find out if a frustrating Secret Pal assignment can actually lead to an unexpected new friendship.

Valentine Day is just around the corner, and the students in Ms. Rooney's classroom are eagerly crafting the perfect cards for the holiday box. Emily Arrow is having a wonderful time decorating her creations, especially after her friend Dawn gives her a shiny set of colored stars to use. She is pouring all her effort into making a very special card for their favorite student teacher. But Emily's fantastic day takes a sudden turn when she is chosen to be the official class monitor. Sitting at the teacher's desk makes her feel important, until a classmate named Sherri breaks the rules by leaving her seat. When Emily reports the bad behavior, Sherri angrily promises to get even. Now, instead of enjoying the holiday festivities, Emily is terrified of what Sherri might do to ruin her week. You will be hooked by this relatable classroom drama as Emily navigates the tricky balance between following the rules and keeping the peace with her classmates.

It is a brand new year, and Emily Arrow is determined to make it her best one yet. When her teacher, Ms. Rooney, asks the class to write down their New Year's resolutions, Emily makes a very big promise: she is going to do better at absolutely everything. She wants to be a better reader, a better friend, and a better student. But as the days go by, Emily quickly realizes that being perfect is a lot harder than it sounds. She still makes mistakes, gets distracted, and sometimes forgets to follow the rules. Will she be able to keep such a challenging promise, or will she learn that doing your best is what really matters? Join Emily in this delightful classroom adventure as she navigates the ups and downs of second grade. This relatable story perfectly captures the pressure kids put on themselves and the joy of accepting who you are.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and Richard Beast Best is obsessed with the giant jar of candy on Ms. Rooney's desk. Whoever guesses the exact number of treats gets to keep the entire jar! There is just one catch: you have to read a page in a library book to earn a guess. His classmate Matthew insists they will never win because they are the worst readers in the room, but Richard refuses to give up. The sweet temptation is so strong that before he realizes what he is doing, Richard sneaks three juicy pieces out of the jar. Now, he is totally terrified. What is Ms. Rooney going to do when she discovers the candy is missing? Join the kids of the Polk Street School for a funny and relatable holiday story about making mistakes, telling the truth, and overcoming the daily challenges of reading.

Mother Day is just around the corner, and Emily Arrow is completely panicking. She desperately wants to give her mom the perfect present, but her plans are turning into a massive disaster. The beautiful marigold seed she planted at school is refusing to grow, leaving her with nothing but a soggy milk carton full of dirt. Emily knows she cannot hand over a box of mud on such a special holiday. Just when she is ready to give up hope, a stroke of genius hits her. With a little bit of unexpected help from her classmate Linda Lorca, Emily comes up with the greatest gift idea in the world. The only problem is that the big day is only forty-eight hours away. You will be turning the pages as fast as you can to see if Emily has enough time to pull off her brilliant plan and give her mother a holiday surprise she will never forget.

What could possibly be worse than a blue Monday? For Richard Beast Best, it is a purple Monday, the terrible day he must climb a giant brown rope hanging from the gym ceiling. While classmates like Emily Arrow scurry up the knots with ease, Beast is absolutely terrified. Just looking at the rope makes his head spin. He desperately hopes he can keep his fear a secret from his friends. Things take a turn for the worse when Mrs. Miller, the meanest substitute teacher in the entire school, discovers his secret. She orders him to meet her in the gym after the final bell rings. Is she going to punish him, or is she about to teach him an important lesson? Join Beast as he faces his biggest fears in this highly relatable story about courage, unexpected kindness, and conquering the dreaded gym class.

It is September again, but the new school year is tough for Richard Beast Best. Instead of moving up, he has been left back in second grade. Now, he is stuck in the exact same classroom while his old friends tease him from afar. To make matters worse, he has to take a special reading class with younger kids like Emily Arrow and Matthew Jackson. Just like last year, Beast is struggling to keep out of trouble. He feels embarrassed and convinced that this year will be a total disaster. But his new reading teacher, Mrs. Paris, sees his potential. With her encouragement, Beast slowly begins to realize that reading might not be so bad after all. He even comes up with a brilliant idea to help his class win the school banner. Step into Ms. Rooney's room for a heartwarming story about second chances, overcoming struggles, and finally believing in yourself.

Richard Beast Best is back, and this time he is facing the spookiest night of the year. Halloween is just around the corner, and the kids of the Polk Street School are buzzing with excitement about costumes, candy, and all things creepy. But for Beast, the holiday is turning into a real horror story. Between trying to keep up in class, dealing with the usual classroom drama, and planning the ultimate Halloween disguise, everything seems to be going wrong. Whether it is a mix-up with his friends or a spooky surprise that catches him off guard, Beast will need to think fast to save his favorite holiday. Step into the lively halls of the Polk Street School and follow Beast as he navigates the hilarious hurdles of being a kid. With relatable school struggles and a fun seasonal twist, this adventure proves that even when things get scary, having good friends by your side makes all the difference. Will Beast survive the Halloween horror, or is he in for the ultimate trick?

March is shaping up to be the absolute worst month of the year for Richard Best. It is officially report card season, and Richard knows that if he does not bring up his grades soon, he might be left back for another year. To make matters even more stressful, Ms. Rooney has assigned the class a massive writing project. Every student has to choose a real person and write a detailed essay about them. Unfortunately, writing is Richard's worst subject, and he is struggling to come up with a single good idea. As he watches his classmates dive into their assignments, Richard feels completely stuck and overwhelmed. He needs to figure out a clever way to complete his project and impress his teacher before time runs out. You will be rooting for Richard as he tries to navigate the pressures of school, conquer his fear of writing, and prove that he is much smarter than his report card shows.

It's the last month of school, and Emily Arrow's class is buzzing with excitement for their big picnic in the park! There will even be class pictures. But Emily isn't feeling quite so happy. She really, really wants a best friend, and it seems like everyone else already has one. Will she have to smile all by herself in the class photo? Feeling lonely, Emily wanders away from the picnic, deep into the woods. She brings along Uni, her special unicorn friend. But before she knows it, the trees all look the same, and Emily realizes she’s lost! She can’t find her way back to her class. What will happen to Emily? Will her classmates notice she’s gone? And will she ever find her way out of the woods and back to her friends before it's time to go home?

It is the middle of summertime, and it is hot enough to fry an egg right on the sidewalk. Richard Beast Best and his good friend Matthew Jackson are sweating and cannot wait to dive into the cool, refreshing water of Emily Arrow's pool. But when they arrive, they get a rude awakening: Emily is not there because she is busy attending summer school. Suddenly, Beast and Matthew realize with a panic that they are supposed to be in summer school, too! How could they have possibly forgotten? While Beast tries to stay positive, figuring they can just swim in the afternoon after class, Matthew delivers some truly bad news that changes everything. Now, it is entirely up to Beast to come up with a brilliant plan to help his friend fast, before their entire summer vacation is totally ruined. Dive into this warm and funny adventure about loyalty, responsibility, and the messy fun of being a kid.

Returning to school after winter vacation is usually tough, and Richard Best is already off to a terrible start. It is the middle of January with no snow in sight, and he has completely forgotten to bring a ruler for the highly anticipated dinosaur day. Just when things look bleak, Richard discovers a strange, mysterious ruler inside his desk. It features a set of dinosaur initials, and Richard quickly realizes this is no ordinary school supply. This ruler has actual magic powers. Suddenly, every single wish Richard makes begins to come true. Snow starts falling from the sky, he magically remembers all his homework, and the classroom bully even gets sick. But when the bully stays sick in bed for too long, Richard starts to feel guilty and worried. His only hope to reverse the spell is the magic ruler, but it has suddenly vanished. You will be captivated by this magical school story as Richard races against time to fix his mistakes.

Summer vacation is in full swing, and Emily has a brilliant plan for the month of August. She is determined to spend her days at the local library, reading as many books as possible so she can tack a special paper fish next to her name for every single one. But her rival, Dawn Bosco, proudly announces that she can read even faster. The competition heats up when the two girls discover an adorable stray cat they name Pickle Puss. They make a strict deal that whoever reads the most books gets to keep the sweet feline forever. Desperate to win, Emily secretly tacks up a paper fish for a story she actually read a long time ago. Suddenly, she is in the lead, but her guilt is growing heavier by the minute. You will be captivated by this classic summer tale as Emily realizes that cheating is never the right answer, and that true friendship is worth more than any prize.

Emily Arrow loves being the fastest runner in class and a whiz at math, even if reading is a struggle. When a new student named Dawn arrives from Florida and takes the seat right next to her, Emily is thrilled. She is ready to share secrets and pull her famous fish face to make Dawn laugh. But things quickly get complicated. Dawn is not only a fantastic reader, but she is also faster at running than Emily. Trying to be a good sport, Emily pushes her jealousy aside. Then, the unthinkable happens. Emily discovers that her new friend might actually be a thief. The worst part is that when Emily tries to tell the truth, nobody in the classroom believes her. You will be on the edge of your seat as Emily tries to figure out how to handle a tricky situation, solve the classroom mystery, and learn what it really takes to be a good friend.

It is officially invention month in Ms. Rooney's classroom, and all the students are bubbling with creative energy. The class is split up to work on group projects, but Emily Arrow is feeling completely frustrated. She desperately wishes she had been chosen to be the group leader. Instead, that role went to Linda Lorca, who is being so bossy that absolutely no one in the group wants to cooperate. With time running out, Emily is terrified that their team is going to fail the assignment entirely. To make matters even more complicated, Emily is distracted by another huge problem. Her favorite student teacher is getting married in just a few days, and Emily still needs to find the absolute perfect wedding present. You will be totally engaged by this charming school adventure as Emily figures out how to handle a bossy classmate, balance her responsibilities, and discover the true meaning of working together as a team.

Spring is in the air, and Richard Best is about to celebrate his birthday. He suspects his sister Holly is throwing him a surprise party, but there is a major problem. He accidentally squashed her precious egg carton jewelry box, and she is going to be furious when she finds out! As if that is not enough trouble, Richard and his best friend Matthew have an even bigger disaster on their hands. They were supposed to help move a giant wheeled rabbit onto the stage for the school assembly. Instead, the monster rabbit rolled completely out of control and crashed right off the stage. Now the boys are in a race against time to put the giant rabbit back together before the big show on Thursday. You will laugh out loud as Richard tries to fix his messy mistakes, save his birthday, and survive the wildest spring assembly ever.