Janet Costa Bates

"Isaac is excited about having a sleepover at Grandpop's house, but he's a little nervous about being away from home for the first time. Luckily, his knowing Grandpop tells him it's not quite time to go to bed yet, first, he needs Isaac's help in putting the house to bed. Quietly and slowly, they move from room to room, turning out lights and pulling down shades, as Grandpop gently explains the nighttime sounds that Isaac finds unfamiliar. Now it's...

"Rica Baptista is living the good life. Grampy, the best Grampy of all Grampies, is coming to visit, and Adventure Week, the best week of all weeks, is finally here. Rica doesn't yet know if they will bounce on trampolines, go horseback riding, or even tour Fenway Park and watch the Red Sox play, but she knows they will have the best time ever. When Grampy hobbles into the house on crutches, however, Rica worries that this year's Adventure Week will...

Rica and Laini can't imagine what's inside the mysterious box sent from anything-but-ordinary Uncle Moose. Or can they? Lively creativity and humor shine in Rica's latest adventure. Rica and her best friend Laini are bubbling over with curiosity. A mystery box has appeared on Rica's doorstep, and nobody will open it! Momma says they must wait for Uncle Moose, who mailed the box to himself. But he's on vacation in Cape Verde and won't be home for days....

Rica Baptista wants--no, needs--a pet. A llama, a kinkajou, or maybe an iguana? She even has a name picked out: Frederica, her own name, after her Cape Verdean great-great-grandfather. But Rica's parents say no almost faster than their mouths can open. The worst part is that Rica can't tell anyone the real reason she wants a pet, because she's not supposed to know--she overheard that her best friend, Laini, is moving away, and Rica worries about being...