The Magical Ms. Plum

Knopf Books for Young Readers

Ages: 8-12

Everybody wants to be in Ms. Plum’s class. It’s not just that she teaches the usual things in unusual ways. There’s something more, something about Ms. Plum herself—and her mysterious supply closet. Whenever she asks her students to get her an eraser or a pencil or some paper clips, they come back with something . . . unusual. Who’d have thought a minature alligator, a big-mouth parrot, or a tiny wolf could teach kids a thing or two about life?

Holbrook: A Lizard's Tale

Holbrook is a lizard who loves to paint. But no one in Rattler's Bend understands how important art is. Hoping to find someone who will appreciate his artistic efforts, the young lizard sets off for Golden City — where he encounters a colorful cast of characters, from singing snails to streetwise pigeons. The elegant mink and renowned art patron Count Rainier Rumolde takes Holbrook under his paw and introduces him to the great artists of the day, among them the prima ballerina Margot Frogtayne and the gifted tenor Enrico Escargot. But not all that glitters is gold, and Holbrook soon finds himself trapped in a frightening world he didn't know existed. His only chance of escape is to rely on the few tools at his disposal — imagination, courage, and newfound friends.

An Ant's Day Off

Bart, the sand ant, is tired of working. For the first time in the history of antdom, he takes the day off and discovers there's a big world outside.

Out of print, but worth looking for:

Just a Minute

When Johnny's mom sails away past the purses and plates in Bindle's Department Store, she says she'll be "just a minute." But then the seconds tick by or is it hours, days, years! Johnny grows a foot or more, buys a house on the hill, gets married and has five kids and still Mom isn't back. What will he do now that the continents have shifted and the sun is a cinder of vermillion?

My Brother, The Robot

Chip didn't think anything could be worse than almost failing the fifth grade--until his new brother, Simon, arrived. Simon is the latest in robotic technology. He looks just like a human boy, but he is ten times better — better at being polite, cleaning his room, spouting the multiplication tables, and swimming, Chip's favorite sport. Dad hopes Simon will set a good example for Chip. Instead, Chip feels as though Simon is taking his place — at summer school, on the swim team, even in his parents' hearts. Chip hatches a plan to take care of "the Perfect Son" once and for all. Will it work perfectly, or be a perfect mess?

The Christmas Crocodile

Alice Jayne finds a crocodile under the tree on Christmas Eve. The Christmas Crocodile doesn't mean to be bad, but soon he is eating everything in the house, even the Christmas tree. Alice Jayne's family can't agree on what to do with the Christmas Crocodile, but Alice Jayne wants to give him a home. Will their Christmas survive if she does?