Ralph warns Flora not to pick that thirteenth bean. Everyone knows it’s unlucky! Now that they’re stuck with it, how can they make it disappear? If they each eat half the beans, there’s still one left over. And if they invite a friend over, they each eat four beans, but there’s still one left over! And four friends could each eat three beans, but there’s still one left over! HOW WILL THEY ESCAPE THE CURSE OF BEAN THIRTEEN?! A funny story about beans, that may secretly be about . . . math! Sometimes you can divide, but you just can’t conquer (the bean thirteen, that is).

“The Bean Trees is the work of a visionary. . . . It leaves you open-mouthed and smiling.” — Los Angeles Times A bestseller that has come to be regarded as an American classic, The Bean Trees is the novel that launched Barbara Kingsolver’s remarkable literary career. It is the charming, engrossing tale of rural Kentucky native Taylor Greer, who only wants to get away from her roots and avoid getting pregnant. She succeeds, but inherits a three-year-old Native American girl named Turtle along the way, and together, from Oklahoma to Arizona, half-Cherokee Taylor and her charge search for a new life in the West. Hers is a story about love and friendship, abandonment and belonging, and the discovery of surprising resources in seemingly empty places. This edition includes a P.S. section with additional insights from the author, background material, suggestions for further reading, and more.

Ant is honored to receive an invitation to lion's annual dinner party, but is shocked when the other guests behave rudely and then accuse her of thinking only of herself.

Beans is the story of The El Espresso, a legend in its own time in Seattle and a coffee company that has prospered by intentionally staying small, inspiring fanatical customer loyalty in the process. Told over the span of a single day, it follows The El's founder, Jack Hartman, through a business crisis that will challenge him and make him clear on why he does what he does. Unsure of whether he has lost the passion needed to sustain his business, Jack hires a consultant who flies to Seattle to "help" him but in reality bears witness to the secrets of good business, whether it's a company of 20 employees or 20,000. In the process, Jack learns about "the Four Ps" and how applying these universal principles can reenergize his employees, his customers, and even himself. Though fictionalized, this is a true story in the best sense of the word. It arrives at a time when people are yearning to return to honest ways of doing business—before corporate dominance, inflated executive salaries, accounting trickery, and outright greed became so much a part of our everyday business headlines. It is the story of how a pushcart David up against the corporate Goliaths succeeded by focusing on what is core to good business and a good life: honoring customers, trusting employees, building passion around a product, and turning an honest profit.

Neil Oxley's older sister, Geraldine, is coming home for the first time. After spending most of her life in institutions for the retarded, she is finally going to live with her family and adapt to the "real world". "Skillful juxtaposition of two seemingly incompatible elements--light humor and the serious theme of mental retardation . . . This is a notable piece".--School Library Journal.

Three mice make a variety of things out of different shapes as they hide from a scary cat.

Benjamin Franklinstein's most electrifying adventure yet Victor Godwin and his very old friend, 200-year-old reanimated Benjamin Franklin, are back for more madcap fun! After releasing the Wright Brothers from the clutches of the nefarious Emperor, the pair are working with the dwindling members of the Promethean Underground to try to stop the Emperor altogether. But when new Infinity light bulbs are installed throughout Philadelphia, Ben and Victor realize they are emitting more than just light. It turns out that Thomas Edison's scientific genius has been hijacked as well, allowing the Emperor to brainwash just about everyone to do his evil bidding. Zombies, mystery, and mayhem keep the pages turning in this hilariously quirky adventure, and the illustrations, puzzles and a fantastic interactive website extend the fun.