Showing results by author "Henry Oliver" in Growing Up & Facts of Life

Hi there, I’m Hank. Here’s what you need to know about me: I don’t try to make the kids in my class laugh, but somehow I do. Spelling is my worst subject. (Come to think of it, so are math and reading!) I try hard - I really do. So why does my brain always freeze into a popsicle? When Hank hears that his class is putting on a play, he’s the only one who’s not excited. That’s because every time he tries to read the script, his brain swirls, and it feels like his head is filled with soggy oatmeal! Can Hank get his act together and get a part?

Billy Broccoli is new to the neighborhood, and wants cool friends and a spot on the baseball team more than anything. But the one thing he never wanted is his own personal ghost. So imagine his surprise when he ends up sharing a room with Hoover Porterhouse, a funny ghost with a whole lot of attitude.

When Hank's class takes a field trip to the zoo, he quickly gets lost after his partner (and nemesis) ditches him. Unable to read the map, Hank wanders and finds himself locked in a habitat with Elsie, an elephant recently rescued and kept isolated. He begins a game of soccer with her, and they become fast friends. But when Hank notices how lonely Elsie is, he's determined to help her find her own animal friends.

When a well-known author of a beloved book series visits Hank's school, he and his two best friends get the chance to be her guide for the day and introduce her at an assembly. But Hank, embarrassed by his struggles with reading, tries to hide the fact that he's never actually finished reading the author's books - or any book, for that matter! So Hank gets creative and makes up his own version of the story. But will everyone be able to tell fact from fiction?

It's time for Moorepark Middle School's annual Speak Out Challenge, and Billy Broccoli thinks he's got it made. With his best friend Hoover Porterhouse - the ghost with the most - by his side, Billy's got the competition in the bag. Who wouldn't vote for a demonstration on mind reading? But when Billy lands a spot on the seventh grade team, he starts spending more time with his new teammates than he does with Hoover. And the Hoove plays second fiddle to no one! If Billy's not careful, his secret weapon might vanish.

In this winning addition to the best-selling series, Hank has to hustle to prove he can be his basketball team’s secret weapon! For two years running, Hank's school has beaten their arch rivals at the annual second grade basketball game. When his friends try out, Hank is determined to play, too. There's just one problem: Hank is terrible at basketball. Luckily, Dr. Dunk (aka Hank's dad) and Hank's friends have his back. With a little help, Hank just might be what the team needs to win their first three-peat in PS 87 history!

Billy Broccoli is on a mission. If he can help Hoover learn to be responsible then he may be able to move on...and Billy may finally get his room to himself! Billy has come up with the perfect plan and gets Hoove a pet - a cute, cuddly one he won't be able to resist caring for. But, as it turns out, Hoover is not exactly an animal enthusiast. Billy has got to turn Hoover into a mother hen soon if he ever wants to get some peace and quiet!