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Audiobooks Narrated by Corey Allen
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We know there's a lot of people out there who think our school is a dead end. And that all the kids inside it are dead ends, too. ... But they've got it all wrong. Just you wait and see! James, Rhondell, Sharice, and Marcel are four inner-city students on a quest to build the world's largest tetrahedron with their math teacher, Mr. Collins. If they succeed, maybe Rhondell will make new friends, Sharice's foster mother may start to care, James will discover something he's good at, and Marcel's dad will finally see that there is more to life than barbecue. Maybe they'll even end up in the Guinness Book of World Records! Weaving together the stories of the kids, their teacher, and the community that surrounds them, award-winning author Shelley Pearsall has written a vividly engaging story about math, life, and the importance of friendship.
The barbershop is where the magic happens. Boys go in as lumps of clay and, with princely robes draped around their shoulders, a dab of cool shaving cream on their foreheads, and a slow, steady cut, they become royalty. That crisp yet subtle line makes boys sharper, more visible, more aware of every great thing that could happen to them when they look good: lesser grades turn into As; girls take notice; even a mother's hug gets a little tighter. Everyone notices. A fresh cut makes boys fly. This rhythmic, read-aloud title is an unbridled celebration of the self-esteem, confidence, and swagger boys feel when they leave the barber's chair-a tradition that places on their heads a figurative crown, beaming with jewels, that confirms their brilliance and worth and helps them not only love and accept themselves but also take a giant step toward caring how they present themselves to the world. The fresh cuts. That's where it all begins. Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is a high-spirited, engaging salute to the beautiful, raw, assured humanity of black boys and how they see themselves when they approve of their reflections in the mirror.
EllRay Jakes may be the shortest kid in his class, and he may get into trouble from time to time, but he can always count on his best friends Kevin and Corey. But lately, Kevin has been skateboarding with the meanest boy in class. Could EllRay be losing one of his friends?
Not giving up without a fight, EllRay asks his older neighbor to show him a few jaw-dropping skateboard moves--like ollies and kickflips. EllRay must learn as many tricks as he can before the secret boys-only third grade skate-off. But will it be enough?
All the boys in EllRay's third-grade class have something they can brag about. Corey's on the swim team, Kevin is super tall, Jared's dad has an ATV. But EllRay's dad is a geologist - not much to brag about. After all, rocks are boring. Then EllRay sees the crystals in his dad's office, and they are really cool looking. If EllRay just "borrows" them to show his classmates, he knows they'd be impressed. And his dad will never have to know. It's a perfect plan . . . until things go awry.
When EllRay and his friends hear about the school talent show, they're not impressed. They're too old for that stuff. But Mrs. Sanchez their teacher isn't so quick to let her students off the hook. Five students MUST try-out, and EllRay somehow ends up being one of them. Now he must figure out something he's talented at....like, maybe magic?
With some unexpected help from his dad, a scientist, EllRay begins to realize that he does have talent and brains, after all. And, most of all, that he has more in common with his dad than he thought.
But now the pressure's on to show his classmates and the whole school that EllRay IS magic.
EllRay Jakes is tired of being bullied by fellow classmate Jared Matthews. But when EllRay tries to defend himself, he winds up in trouble. Then his dad offers him a deal: If he stays out of trouble for one week, they'll go to Disneyland! EllRay says he can do it. But saying it and doing it are two very different things
EllRay Jakes finally grows up (a little) by playing basketball in this ninth book in the series. There's a new game in town: basketball! Or in EllRay's case, "pre"-basketball. Coach Havens has all the third graders dribbling, passing, and shooting, and he's quick to compliment EllRay's skills. No one else seems to notice them, however, and as 'the shortest kid in the class,' EllRay is still chosen last for teams at recess. What's a short guy gotta do to get noticed? When EllRay comes up with a plan that involves the off-limits teacher's lounge, "everyone" does a double take!
EllRay Jakes is a small kid with big problems! EllRay Jakes may be the smallest kid in his class at Oak Glen Primary School, but he's also his sister Alfie's big brother. So when it looks like Alfie is being bossed around by a dragon-like girl at her school, EllRay feels responsible. As her older (and wiser!) brother, shouldn't he show her that she should stand up for herself? But little sisters and four year old dragons are a bit more complicated than he thought.
Eight-year-old EllRay is down to one-and-a-half best friends, which leads his little sister to point out the obvious: he needs new friends. A spare, at least. For emergencies. So EllRay decides to audition other boys for the role of Spare Best Friend.
EllRay's class is brimming with possibilities, but no one seems to share his exact interests. What's so great about car parts? And why would anyone think boring instruction manuals are fun to read? But EllRay isn't worried--he can fix any problems once he gets to know each kid. And the only way to get to know them is to come up with fun things to do at recess. When he's the Recess King, "everyone" will want to be his friend!
Things are going just swimmingly for EllRay. He's finally getting along with most of the kids at school. He's even getting along with his family. But then everything comes screeching to a halt when his younger sister accidently overfeeds the classroom goldfish EllRay was supposed to be taking care of over Spring vacation. What is EllRay going to tell his teacher and the kids in his third-grade class? Fortunately, most of them are sympathetic. But not bossy Cynthia. She sees this as an opportunity to blame EllRay for her own mess-ups. Must EllRay now walk the plank for stuff that he didn't do?
Justin knows that something is wrong with his best friend. I WENT UP THE HILL, Zee went missing for a year. And when he came back, he was ... different. Nobody knows what happened to him. THE HILL WAS MUDDY, At Zee's welcome home party, Justin and the neighborhood crew play Hide and Seek. But it goes wrong. Very wrong. STOMPED MY TOE One by one, everyone who plays the game disappears, pulled into a world of nightmares come to life. AND MADE IT BLOODY, Justin and his friends realize this horrible place is where Zee had been trapped. All they can do now is hide from the Seeker. SHOULD I WASH IT?
