Jerry Spinelli Book order

Can playing dead bring you back to life? Maybe on Dead Wednesday… On this day the worlds of a shy boy and a gone girl collide, and the connection they make will change them both forever. A brilliant new novel from the Newbery Medal winner and author of the New York Times bestseller Stargirl. "Jerry Spinelli has created another middle grade masterpiece." —BookPage, starred review On Dead Wednesday, every eighth grader in Amber Springs is assigned the name and identity of a teenager who died a preventable death in the past year. The kids don black shirts and for the whole day everyone in town pretends they're invisible—as if they weren't even there. The adults think it will make them contemplate their mortality. The kids know it's a free pass to get away with anything. Worm Tarnauer feels invisible every day. He's perfectly happy being the unnoticed sidekick of his friend Eddie. So he's not expecting Dead Wednesday to feel that different. But he didn't count on being assigned Becca Finch (17, car crash). And he certainly didn't count on Becca showing up to boss him around! Letting this girl into his head is about to change everything. This is the story of the unexpected, heartbreaking, hilarious, truly epic day when Worm Tarnauer discovers his own life.

Exploring the whimsical imagination of a young boy, the narrative delves into his dreams of various future occupations. With a playful tone, he considers a range of creative and unconventional jobs, from folding paper airplanes to more humorous roles like tin-can kicker. This charming journey captures the essence of childhood curiosity and the limitless possibilities that lie ahead.

Celebrate the Fourth of July with a vibrant mix of picnics, singing, and fireworks. This festive occasion captures the joy and excitement of summer celebrations, inviting readers to join in the fun and festivities of this beloved holiday.

A sweet story about a mother's love, from a Newbery-Award winning author and New York Times bestselling illustrator.

In this delightful prequel, the author revisits the humorous and heartwarming world of elementary school, capturing the experiences of young students with charm and wit. The story promises to blend laughter with relatable themes of friendship and growing up, making it a perfect read for both children and nostalgic adults. Newbery Medalist Spinelli's engaging storytelling brings the school environment to life, ensuring readers are entertained and touched by the characters' adventures.

Welcome to Hokey Pokey. A place and a time, when childhood is at its best: games to play, bikes to ride, experiences to be had. There are no adults in Hokey Pokey, just kids, and the laws governing Hokey Pokey are simple and finite. But when one of the biggest kids, Jack, has his beloved bike stolen—and by a girl, no less—his entire world, and the world of Hokey Pokey, turns to chaos. Without his bike, Jack feels like everything has started to go wrong. He feels different, not like himself, and he knows something is about to change. And even more troubling he alone hears a faint train whistle. But that's impossible: every kid knows there no trains in Hokey Pokey, only tracks. Master storyteller Jerry Spinelli has written a dizzingly inventive fable of growing up and letting go, of leaving childhood and its imagination play behind for the more dazzling adventures of adolescence, and of learning to accept not only the sunny part of day, but the unwelcome arrival of night, as well.

Navigating the challenges of fourth grade, Suds struggles with the expectations of being tough while feeling out of place. Despite his attempts to fit in and embrace a tougher persona, he finds himself facing mishaps that undermine his efforts. With the help of his friend Joey, Suds embarks on a journey to discover what it truly means to be brave. This reissue explores themes of friendship, self-acceptance, and the pressures of growing up.

What is stargazer, skateboarder, chess champ, pepperoni pizza eater, older brother, sister hater, best friend, first kisser, science geek, control freak Will Tuppence so afraid of in this great big universe? Jerry Spinelli knows.

Mourning the loss of his mother, nine-year-old David forms an unlikely friendship with independent, quirky thirteen-year-old Primrose, as the two help each other deal with what is missing in their lives.

Still moping months after being dumped by her Arizona boyfriend Leo, fifteen-year-old Stargirl, a home-schooled free spirit, writes "the world's longest letter" to Leo, describing her new life in Pennsylvania.