Rachel Carson

Martha Freeman

The correspondence between Rachel Carson and her Maine summer neighbor offers insight into Carson's private life and her creative and political struggles

The Letters of Rachel Carson and Dorothy Freeman, 1952-1964 - The Story of a Remarkable Friendship

Always, Rachel

"City girl Effie Starr Zook is not excited about spending the summer on her aunt and uncle's farm in Nowheresville, Pennsylvania, until she stumbles across a mystery that leads her smack into an old family feud"--

Effie Starr Zook Has One More Question

"In 1949 Philadephia, Mary Mouse and an orphan named Caro embark on an adventure when they team up to expose criminals and make the Cherry Street Orphanage a safe haven for mice."--Title page verso.

The orphan and the mouse

Eleven-year-olds Luis and Maura investigate the cause of a long-term, city-wide power outage in Hampton, New Jersey. Includes facts about electric power and instructions for assembling an emergency kit.

Zap!

"If you're going to a march, you're going to want a sign"--and this cheerful, introductory handbook. Inspired by author Martha Freeman's own experiences, it addresses many of the questions kids might have: What should I wear? How will I get there? Where can I go to the bathroom? Is it okay to dance? (It is!). All the while the text focuses on our Constitutional right as Americans to assemble . . . whatever our political point of view.

If You're Going to a March

Que Asco de Ano!

When parts of outdoor Christmas displays go missing from neighborhood yards, nine-year-old Alex and his friend Yasmeen investigate.

Who Is Stealing the 12 Days of Christmas?

From Edgar Award–nominated author Martha Freeman comes a “delightful” (Kirkus Reviews) middle grade mystery following a young boy working at his family’s secondhand store that is a steal-your-heart story about family and friendship. Arthur Popper helps out in his family’s Boulder, Colorado, junk store, Universal Trash, a place so full of cool stuff it inspires awe in first-time shoppers. When it comes to ukuleles, peppermills, and rhinestones, Arthur knows what’s what. But unlike his motorcycle-riding grandma and his namesake, King Arthur, he’s not brave or adventurous. Then Arthur finds a chipped teacup, of all things, and realizes it’s the key to solving the perfect crime—a crime only he knows about. With help from a supernatural sidekick, his best friend, his annoying little sister, and a sad-faced police officer, Arthur embarks on the hard work of detecting. Everyone knows Arthur is good at customer service. Does he have what it takes to solve a mystery and confront a thief?

Trashed!

Prepare to laugh out loud at the antics of Goldilocks and The Three Bears in this illustrated chapter book for lovers of snarky humor and fractured fairy tales. "So I ate some porridge and broke a chair--get over it!" Goldilocks snipes at Bobby Bear, as Baby Bear is now calling himself. Tensions are high at the Three Bears cottage where Goldilocks--an overdramatic tween who has deluded herself into believing she's a princess--is stranded until the Big Bad Wolf vacates the area. A hungry troll, three pigs with a home improvement show on HoGTV, and of course the Big Bad Wolf all figure into the story in this hilarious mash-up of folk and fairy tales from around the world. In chapters full of quirky and clever drawings, Bobby and Goldilocks alternate narrating the story of their hair-raising adventures. Goldilocks aka "Furless" and Bobby are constantly at one another's throats and can't stop interrupting each other. But despite their mutual animosity, a kind of affection develops between Bobby and Goldilocks, and they become something like friends. As Bobby explains, "I mean, annoying as she was, I didn't want her to end up wolf kibble." Over 80 illustrations are included.

Goldilocks, Go Home!

Between Christmas and New Year's Eve, College Springs has a winter carnival, complete with ice sculptures; however, this year someone has stolen all thirty-seven of them, including one on Chickadee Court. Unfortunately, the twelve-year-old sleuths, Yasmeen and Alex, are having friendship issues--Yasmeen thinks that she's being replaced by a new girl who has come to Chickadee Court. Then, the whole gang comes together to solve the frosty mystery. Believe it or not, the clues lead to a fracking operation and the laboratory of a professor who is racing to invent a new alternative fuel before his competitors do.

A Chickadee Court Mystery

Who Stole New Year's Eve?

Sixth-grader Alex and his friend Yasmeen are on the case when ice sculptures go missing from the local First Night festivities.

Aunt Jen, the official White House hostess, is being thrown a surprise party with a Wizard of Oz theme. A dog that looks just like Toto will be there -- and so will the famous ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore in the movie. But when the box arrives from the Smithsonian Museum, the slippers aren't in it! Never fear, First Kids Cammie and Tessa are on the case. White House dog Hooligan finds one slipper, but no one know where or how. A surprising revelation reveals the thief's identity. Filled with humor and White House inside information, this third First Kids Mystery is exciting from start to finish.

The Case of the Ruby Slippers

The girls from Flowerpot Cabin are back at camp in Martha Freeman’s second novel in the Secret Cookie Club series, which was called “a younger version of Ann Brashares’s The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” by School Library Journal. Recipe for Summer Drama 1 girl counselor, broken-hearted 1 boy counselor, super-cute 4 determined campers Mix all ingredients together for eight weeks at Moonlight Ranch summer camp. For best results, add cookies. The Secret Cookie Club members Grace, Emma, Olivia, and Lucy are excited to be back at Moonlight Ranch summer camp with their beloved counselor, Hannah. But when a mysterious letter arrives, Hannah is plunged into despair. Secret Cookie Club to the rescue! After puzzling out the contents of the letter, they make a plan to fix Hannah’s life—a plan that requires a magic spell, a daring mission to the boys camp, and a big batch of campfire cookies. What could possibly go wrong? With a dash of romance, a pinch of mystery, and a heaping tablespoon of fun, this camp adventure is as satisfying as a warm chocolate chip cookie.

Campfire Cookies

Most days Cammie is tired of being the daughter of the first female president of the United States and just wants her real life back. She's feeling the stress of having to be on display so often. Plus, her oversized and overly enthusiastic dog Hooligan keeps getting into trouble. That's why she's thrilled when her very favorite group, the famous teenage sensation called The Song Boys, is scheduled to perform at a literacy event at the White House. But when White House objects disappear, the event is in jeopardy. With some help from her younger sister Tessa and Hooligan, Cammie tackles the mystery—and helps save the concert.

The Case of the Rock 'N' Roll Dog

Steven Salerno

When Mrs. Wow takes in a stray cow, her lazy dog and cat hope to train the new household member to catch mice and intimidate the mailman, but Mrs. Wow knows something the cow can do that's even better.

Mrs. Wow Never Wanted a Cow

Halloween the cat is missing, stolen right from her bed in the middle of the night. Then one by one other neighborhood cats disappear. Is the Harvey house ghost to blame? Will he strike again? It's up to Alex and Yasmeen to find out.

Who Stole Halloween?

“An inspiring look at women who realized curiosity plus tenacity equals success.” —Kirkus Reviews Discover the histories of twenty incredible female scientists in this inspiring biography collection from beloved author Martha Freeman and Google Doodler Katy Wu. Why do galaxies spin the way they do? What’s the best kind of house for a Komodo dragon? Can you cure malaria with medicine made from a plant? The scientists and mathematicians in Born Curious sought answers to these and many other fascinating questions. And it’s lucky for us they did. Without their vision, insight, and hard work, the world would be a sicker, dirtier, and more dangerous place. The twenty groundbreaking women—including Rosalind Franklin, Marie Tharp, Shirley Anne Jackson, and more—came from all kinds of backgrounds and had all kinds of life experiences. Some grew up rich. Some grew up poor. Some were always the smartest kid in class. Some struggled to do well in school. But all had one thing in common: They were born curious. Are you curious, too? Read on.

20 Girls Who Grew Up to Be Awesome Scientists

Born Curious

After the girls of Flowerpot Cabin leave summer camp, they face challenges as Grace is volunteered to dogsit, Emma faces loss, Olivia's brother starts a family feud, and Lucy's father comes back into her life. Includes cookie recipes.

P.S. Send More Cookies

“An excellent addition to middle grade collections.” —School Library Journal (starred review) After being shipped off to stay with her aunt and uncle in Nowheresville, Pennsylvania, city girl Effie Starr Zook stumbles upon a mystery that leads her to an old family feud in this “accessible and exciting” (School Library Journal, starred review). A rich girl from New York City, Effie Starr Zook isn’t afraid of much. When her parents go on a dangerous round-the-world adventure in a solar airplane, she’s packed off to her aunt and uncle’s farm for the summer. Expecting boredom, she runs smack dab into a family secret. Why does the neighbor kid want to avoid her? What are her aunt and uncle so worried about? And what does “bad blood” mean, anyway? Effie’s got a brand-new bicycle, time on her hands, and an unlimited capacity for asking questions. With these, she sets out to uncover whatever it is the grownups are hiding. Along the way, she’ll contend with crackpot politics, serve coffee in a bookstore café, and learn more than she bargained for about her famous great-grandfather, the inventor of the barf bag. Fast-paced and funny, this is a story about having the courage to find out who you really are. Look out, world—when Effie Starr Zook has questions, she won’t take no for an answer!

Martha Freeman

Books

Your next favorite book is out there