Rivalry Reads
Rivals: we love to hate them.
Rivals push us, challenge us, frustrate us, yet they often bring out the best in us. Whether it’s a creative partner with wild ideas, a bestie-turned-nemesis, or a beach day ruined by a monster invasion, rivalries have a way of making things very interesting. But behind all the trash talk and side-eye, rivals help kids figure out who they are and who they want to be. Because sometimes your greatest rival ends up being your greatest friend (or at least a pretty decent sidekick)!
J and K are the most creative fifth graders at Dean Ashley Public School (DAPS). J loves to draw and his wordless stories are J-ENIUS! K loves to write and his stories are K-LASSIC!! Both J and K are determined to win the DAPS annual creative storytelling contest or at least get in the top five. And when they find out that they are both entering The Contest, it’s the beginning of one of the most intense rivalries the world has ever seen.
Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, the quiet and thoughtful son of the Chief of the Hairy Hooligans, tries to pass the important initiation test of his Viking clan by catching and training a dragon. Can he do it without being torn limb from limb? Join his adventures and misadventures as he finds a new way to train dragons–and becomes a hero.
Read all the books in the series!
1. How to Train Your Dragon
2. How to Be a Pirate
3. How to Speak Dragonese
4. How to Cheat a Dragon’s Curse
5. How to Twist a Dragon’s Tale
6. A Hero’s Guide to Deadly Dragons
7. How to Ride a Dragon’s Storm
8. How to Break a Dragon’s Heart
9. How to Steal a Dragon’s Sword
10. How to Seize a Dragon’s Jewel
11. How to Betray a Dragon’s Hero
12. How to Fight a Dragon’s Fury
Rafe Khatchadorian has never been cool. But all that changes when he becomes the guitarist in an awesome rock band and wrangles a part-time job at Hills Village’s trendiest new coffee shop slash yoga studio. No more being at the bottom of the middle school food chain—Rafe is finally going to be popular!
He just has two teeny problems: the awesome rock band is led by none other than the school bully. And the band actually isn’t awesome—they absolutely stink, and Rafe has to whip them into shape for the Best Band Competition.
With Rafe’s newfound coolness on the line, will he find a way to hit the stage in style or is he doomed to dorkdom forever?
No one wants a skunk. They are unwelcome on front stoops. They should not linger in Important Rock Rooms. Skunks should never, ever be allowed to move in. But Skunk is Badger’s new roommate, and there is nothing Badger can do about it.
When Skunk plows into Badger’s life, everything Badger knows is upended. Tails are flipped. The wrong animal is sprayed. And why-oh-why are there so many chickens?
Skunk and Badger return in:
Egg Marks the Spot
Rock Paper Incisors (Coming October 2025)
This hilarious illustrated novel about the chaos of the creative process follows middle schoolers Eliot Quigly as he endeavors to create the best superhero comic ever—with unforgettably epic hiccups along the way! The duo’s adventures continue in Mighty Onion and the Guinea Pig Girl!
Andrew and Russ are best friends obsessed with finding the legendary Jersey Devil that supposedly lives in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, right in their own backyards. They’re even making a movie about their desperate search for any sign of the mythical creature. But when Russ starts spending less time on their movie, and more time with artsy, first-chair violinist Tara, Andrew feels the cracks in their friendship begin to form.
Suddenly, all of Andrew’s favorite things are too babyish for Russ, and Andrew is left trying to figure out where he belongs without his best friend by his side. Then a rash of Jersey Devil sightings excite their small town, and the boys are thrown back together on a fevered hunt. Can Andrew and Russ put aside their differences for one last chance to find the monster of their dreams, or will the break in their friendship be too big to mend?
The spooky friends do their best to turn everyone’s summer festivities into a monster mash, but the feuding between fans of Halloween and fans of summertime soon reaches a boiling point. Can the groups find a way to have double the fun? A Summerween party might be the perfect solution!
Read all the books in the Festive Feuds series:
Leprechaun vs. Easter Bunny
Turkey vs. Santa
Vampire vs. the Beach
Groundhog vs. Cupid