Dan Gutman

Miss Daisy's unusual teaching methods surprise the second grade students, especially reluctant learner A.J.

On a cross-country vacation with their parents, visiting unusual places including The House on The Rock, twins Coke and Pepsi, soon to be thirteen, fend off strange assassins as they try to come to terms with their being part of a top-secret government organization known as The Genius Files.

When the hippie crossing guard, Mr. Louie, puts a love potion in the water fountain before Valentine's Day, everyone at Ella Mentry School falls in love.

When a British student-teacher arrives, A. J. and his friends wonder if her all-black clothing and love of blood sausage mark her as a vampire, while Mr. Granite simply hopes her musician-boyfriend will stay away long enough for a math lesson.

A.J. and his friends find out what amazing things Miss Lazar, the Super Custodian at their school, can do.

"A. J. and his friends from Ella Mentry School are in for a weird Christmas surprise when they head to the local mall to see Santa Claus"-- Provided by publisher.

A.J. and his friends in the second grade learn that art can be made out of anything, even garbage.

As their cross-country journey with their parents continues through the midwest, twins Coke and Pepsi, now thirteen, again face strange assassins at such places as the first McDonald's restaurant and Cedar Point amusement park.

"A special guest has arrived at Ella Mentry School! Professor Pitt is the president of a local art museum and has all sorts of wacky ideas about art. A.J. thinks it's all a total snoozefest... until the piece he turns in for an art assignment gets praised as a work of genius! Suddenly, Professor Pitt is introducing A.J. as the next big thing to happen to the art world. What could possibly go wrong?"-- Provided by publisher.

"A.J. and his friends are starting fourth grade. A new school year means a new teacher, and Miss Banks may be their weirdest one yet. She won't stop playing practical jokes on the class, and A.J. has reached his breaking point. Will he and the gang learn to not fall for their teacher's tricks? Or will Miss Banks prevail as the ultimate prankster?"-- Provided by publisher.