It’s Career Week, and Charlie Bumpers has convinced everyone that his dad would be the greatest speaker ever. But what happens when his dad loses his job?

While his classmates are boasting about their parents’ jobs, fourth grader Charlie Bumpers gets carried away and leaves the impression that his accountant dad is not only the president of his company but also that he will hand out free calculators to everyone.

Then, with rumors flying around the school and expectations escalating, Charlie tells his teacher that his dad can speak to their class during Career Week. But just before the big event, Mr. Bumpers loses his job. How will Charlie explain to his class? Will his dad still come in during Career Week? Fortunately, Mr. Bumpers has some very surprising plans of his own.

A warm, funny story with relatable themes of family, school, and unemployment. Black and white illustrations throughout. From the hilarious Charlie Bumpers middle grade series by Grammy Award-winning author Bill Harley.

Also available from Bill Harley:
Charlie Bumpers vs. the End of the Year
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Perfect Little Turkey
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Puny Pirates
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Really Nice Gnome
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Squeaking Skull
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Teacher of the Year

Courage yields unexpected surprises when Justin visits his school’s dreaded lost and found. A witty, award-winning story about childhood fears from Bill Harley and Adam Gustavson.

“With stifling tension, Harley has found the perfect emotional pitch to explore such universal childhood fears.” ―Kirkus Reviews

When Justin loses the special hat his grandmother made for him, he looks everywhere for it. Everywhere, that is, except the lost and found.

Mr. Rumkowsky, the old school custodian, is the keeper of all the lost and found items, and everyone is afraid of him—including Justin. When he finally musters the courage to enter Mr. Rumkowsky’s domain, he discovers a whole world of treasures. But things keep getting weirder and weirder, until way down at the bottom of Rumkowsky’s giant box, Justin unearths something completely unexpected…

Bill Harley and Adam Gustavson team up to deliver a fun and relatable story about fear and expectations. An award-winning read-aloud!

Awards:

Best Children’s Books of the Year ―Bank Street College of Education
Parents’ Choice Approved Award ―Parents’ Choice Foundation
Society of School Librarians International Book Awards (Honor Book, Language Arts Picture Books) ―Society of School Librarians International

Can Charlie Bumpers face his fear of horror movies, come up with a genius costume, and enjoy Halloween? From the award-winning middle grade series by Bill Harley.

“Another great story for young boys…. An exceptional choice for fans of this series and of Sally Warner’s EllRay Jakes series and Tommy Greenwald’s Charlie Joe Jackson series.” ―Booklist Online

Fourth graders Charlie and Tommy have big plans for Halloween. They’re going to trick-or-treat and sleep over at Alex’s house. But when Charlie finds out that the entertainment at the party will be the “Scariest Horror Movies Ever,” he is struck by panic. Charlie loves candy, he loves sleepovers with his friends, but he absolutely hates horror movies.

There is yet another wrinkle in Charlie’s Halloween plans. He is determined to win the big prize (ten movie tickets) that will be awarded for the best costume, but when he finally comes up with a genius prize-winning idea, he runs into an unexpected obstacle. How will Charlie be able to enjoy Halloween this year? Black and white illustrations throughout.

The laugh-out-loud Charlie Bumpers series from Grammy Award-winning author Bill Harley is perfect for reluctant and transitional readers. Humor and heart combine with relatable problems and themes surrounding family, friends, and school.

Also available from Bill Harley:
Charlie Bumpers vs. His Big Blabby Mouth
Charlie Bumpers vs. the End of the Year
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Perfect Little Turkey
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Puny Pirates
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Really Nice Gnome
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Teacher of the Year

Can Charlie Bumpers be a polite Thanksgiving host to the most annoying cousin in the universe? From the award-winning middle grade series by author Bill Harley.

It’s Thanksgiving in the Bumpers’ household, and Charlie has to be the perfect host to his annoying little cousin, Chip. Chip makes everything hard for Charlie―gets him in trouble, ruins his things, and generally makes a nuisance of himself. On top of that, for homework, his fourth-grade teacher Mrs. Burke has assigned him the task of writing what a family means to him. Will Charlie be able to see past his “turkey” of a cousin to understand the real meaning of family? Black and white illustrations throughout.

Charlie Bumpers is a heartwarming and hilarious middle grade series starring a relatable fourth grader dealing with everyday issues surrounding family, friends, and school. From Grammy Award-winning author Bill Harley.

Awards:

Parents’ Choice Silver Honor Award ―Parents’ Choice Foundation
Land of Enchantment Book Awards (Nominee, Grades 3-5) ―New Mexico Library Association, New Mexico Council of ILA
Club Tome It List (Nominee) ―Tome Student Literacy Society

Also available from Bill Harley:
Charlie Bumpers vs. His Big Blabby Mouth
Charlie Bumpers vs. the End of the Year
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Puny Pirates
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Really Nice Gnome
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Squeaking Skull
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Teacher of the Year

Charlie Bumpers’s worst fear is confirmed: he has Mrs. Burke for fourth grade. How will he survive the strictest teacher in school? From Bill Harley’s award-winning middle grade series.

“A real-life world in which a likable kid must face the everyday terrors of childhood: enormous bullies, looming teachers and thick gym coaches with huge pointing fingers…. Readers will be waiting to see how Charlie faces his next challenge in a series that marks a lovely change of pace from the sarcasm of Wimpy Kid.” ―Kirkus Reviews

Shortly before school starts, Charlie Bumpers learns that he will be in Mrs. Burke’s class. It doesn’t matter that she’s been named Teacher of the Year. He’s still afraid of her.

Last year when he was horsing around in the hall, he accidentally hit her in the head with his sneaker (don’t ask). The exasperated teacher declared that if anything like that ever happened again, Charlie would be banned from recess forever. How will he survive a year under a teacher who is just waiting for him to make another stupid mistake? Black and white illustrations throughout.

This laugh-out-loud series from Grammy Award-winning author Bill Harley is perfect for reluctant and transitional readers. Humor and heart combine with relatable problems and themes of family, friends, and school.

Awards:

Parents’ Choice Recommended Award ―Parents’ Choice Foundation
Kansas State Reading Circle Recommended Reading List (Intermediate) ―Kansas National Education Association
Beverly Cleary Children’s Choice Award ―Oregon Association of School Libraries
Virginia Readers’ Choice (Master List) ―Virginia State Reading Association

Also available from Bill Harley:
Charlie Bumpers vs. His Big Blabby Mouth
Charlie Bumpers vs. the End of the Year
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Perfect Little Turkey
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Puny Pirates
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Really Nice Gnome
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Squeaking Skull

Charlie Bumpers wants to play the bad guy in the class play, but his teacher Mrs. Burke has other ideas. From the award-winning series by Bill Harley.

“A heartwarming and sometimes laugh-out-loud tale about giving 100 percent even when you’re less than thrilled to do so.” ―School Library Journal

Charlie Bumpers has his heart set on playing the role of the evil Sorcerer in the fourth-grade play. But his dreams of villainous stardom go up in smoke when he finds out that Mrs. Burke has cast him as the Nice Gnome! Determined to rectify this terrible injustice, Charlie concocts one plan after another, but nothing seems to work.

To make matters worse, his dad has assigned chores to all the kids in the family, and Charlie’s job is walking Ginger—the diggiest, sniffiest, and poopiest dog in the universe. Can Charlie deal with these challenges without causing havoc all around him? Black and white illustrations throughout.

Charlie Bumpers is a heartwarming and hilarious middle grade series starring a relatable fourth grader dealing with everyday issues surrounding family, friends, and school. From Grammy Award-winning author Bill Harley.

Also available from Bill Harley:
Charlie Bumpers vs. His Big Blabby Mouth
Charlie Bumpers vs. the End of the Year
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Perfect Little Turkey
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Puny Pirates
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Squeaking Skull
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Teacher of the Year

In 1957 in Liverpool, England, a young lad named John Lennon and his band played music at a local church fair. In the audience was Paul McCartney, who liked what he heard and soon joined the group. Paul's friend George Harrison kept showing up at rehearsals until the older boys finally let him in. Eventually they found the perfect drummer, Ringo Starr, and the perfect name: The Beatles.

Told through a lyrical text and stunning paintings, this book spotlights four ordinary boys growing up amid the rubble of postwar England who found music to be a powerful, even life-saving, force.