Lynne Jonell

Ten-year-old Emmy wants to be an ordinary girl, but the evil nanny Miss Barmy, now a rat, has trapped five of her former charges and when she uses them to steal jewels belonging to Emmy's parents, it is up to Emmy, Joe, and their rodent friends to stop her.

Duncan, eleven, is very smart with the rare ability to speak Cat, but his mother has always insisted he appear only average, and when a perfect test score draws attention to him, he not only discovers the wisdom of his mother's rules, he finds himself crossing the seas on a quest for his true identity.

A young boy really wants a snake of his own, and after his mother reads a book about snakes and takes him to a museum and a pet store to see some, he finds his own pet "snakes" around the house.

Because their mother seems too busy preparing for company, Christopher and Robbie cook up the idea of a Mom pie to serve as her surrogate.

Castles, battles, the ancient Scottish Highlands, and a boy who is determined to bring everyone safely home combine in this absorbing middle grade time-travel adventure. Will's mother is in danger overseas, and his father must find her, so Will and his little brother are packed off to relatives in Scotland. Will feels useless. He can't save his mother. He can't help his father. And when he tries to amuse his brother on the plane ride, he can't even...