When a disagreeable man with two boys marries a widow with three children, family adjustments are complicated by two magic chemistry sets which cause strange things to happen around the house.
A grisly murder is committed at a health resort situated in a recently renovated farmhouse, which turns out to be notorious for being haunted. Attorney Thora Gudmundsdottir is called upon by the owner of the resort - the prime suspect in the case - to represent him. Her investigations uncover some very disturbing occurrences at the farm decades earlier - things that have never before seen the light of day. MY SOUL TO TAKE is a chilling, dark and witty crime novel, and a welcome return for Thora, the heroine of the highly-acclaimed LAST RITUALS.
The irrepressible Junie B.--room 9's most boisterous first grader nonpareil--has returned for another adventure, this time around as a hair-netted, plastic-mitted "helper" in the school cafeteria. (Her dad wisely guesses where this one's going: "A helper doesn't make things more difficult, Junie B. A helper makes things easier. Okay?")
In Pressure, the islanders work together to retrieve a wedding ring that has fallen down a sink drain. With the help of a visiting inventor, they discover what a straw, plunger, vacuum and jackhammer all have in common: They are all useful tools that operate by manipulating a force called pressure. The islanders discover the differences and similarities between devices that derive their power from changing air pressure (pneumatic machines) and from liquid pressure (hydraulic machines).
In Sensors, Olive and her cousin, Troy, help their family remodel a quaint old lodge in the mountains. They decide that the old building could use some modernization. A visiting inventor suggests some sensors that would help. Sensors are devices that respond to heat, light, sound, pressure, magnetism or motion. The inventor explains the principles behind different types of sensors that can detect the presence of something, such as smoke detectors, automatic doors and security alarms.
