Wherever there is injustice, nefarious plots, or threats to society, the Sheep, the Rooster, and the Duck are there to stop them! A sly villain with a plan to cause havoc across the globe is no match for three extraordinary animals—and their two young human friends. From acclaimed author and artist Matt Phelan, a hilarious, action-packed, and highly illustrated middle-grade adventure perfect for fans of Skunk and Badger and Flora & Ulysses.
THE SHEEP, THE ROOSTER, AND THE DUCK
by Matt Phelan
Greenwillow Books, March 2022
(via Writers House)
The very first passengers to ride in a hot air balloon were a sheep, a rooster, and a duck in 1783. And while hot air balloons are indeed wondrous, ten-year-old Emile is too busy being the fastidious caretaker of ambassador Benjamin Franklin’s château in Paris to think much about them. But forces both good and nefarious are after the wonderful—and sometimes dangerous—inventions in Franklin’s notebook. Soon, young Emile finds himself right in the middle of a sinister plot. And right in the middle of the secret headquarters for France’s undercover heroes—the same sheep, rooster, and duck that piloted the first hot air balloon. If Emile can muster his courage and be bold, he may be the key to helping the heroes save both Benjamin Franklin and the world.
A highly illustrated adventure full of secrets, hijinks, and reimagined historical events. This rip-roaring and surprising story is ideal for reluctant readers, aspiring heroes, and fans of Peter Brown’s The Wild Robot.
“This amusing, fast-paced tale of land, sky, and spies will easily draw in reluctant readers.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Incredibly creative and equally silly, mixing historical figures and locations with offbeat humor and adventure. . . A little bit of history, a touch of mystery, and heaps of fun.” —Booklist (starred review)
“A grand, giddy, and, at times, literally soaring tale.” —Kirkus (starred review)
Matt Phelan is the author and artist of the picture books Pignic and Druthers, as well as the acclaimed middle-grade novel Knights vs. Dinosaurs and its two sequels, Knights vs. Monsters and Knights vs. the End (of Everything). He has also written and illustrated several award-winning and best-selling middle-grade graphic novels: Snow White, The Storm in the Barn, Bluffton, and Around the World. Matt Phelan lives with his family in Pennsylvania.
Meet the Terribles! They’re your friendly neighborhood vampires, ghosts, werewolves, and mummies! They go to school, do homework, play hide-and-creep, start a band with an alien from outer space, and bring monsters to life with a bit of lightning. Ya know, the usual stuff. Basically, the Terribles are completely normal kids, just like YOU! Well, sort of. In the first book, we get to know a monstrous class at Stubtoe Elementary as they prepare for the coronation (read: fancy birthday party) of Emma (Emmanatenkhamen XIII). She’s a kid mummy. You’ll also meet Vlad, a vampire who schemes to see the sun, and Griff, a boy who’s shy, not to mention invisible. There’s a kid kaiju, a young (mad) scientist, and a horde more!
Cooper just wants to spend the summer before 7th grade drawing and having adventures with his best friend, Nacho. Anything to keep his mind off the fact that his dad’s new girlfriend and his mom’s announcement that she’s going to start dating. But when one of his adventures with Nacho goes too far, Cooper’s parents freak out. Either he joins the Boy Rangers, a dorky club that’s all about discipline and rules, or that dream cartooning camp at the end of his summer? Will get erased. At first it’s not so bad―the troop is a disorganized mess. But then a new scoutmaster starts. Mr. Pierce is a gruff ex-Marine who’s never worked with kids before, especially not a ragtag team of misfits like Troop 19. As he tries turning them into a lean, mean, badge-earning machine, Cooper longs for freedom. He doesn’t want to break the rules, but the rules are going to break him!
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Four years after her dad died, Sasha Johnson-Sun’s life is entirely different for her and her Korean immigrant mother: a smaller apartment, Saturdays spent cleaning classmates’ houses, her father’s photo on the bookshelf with other deceased relatives. Only Sasha’s top-of-class grades are the same, because if Sasha knows one thing, it’s this: she will graduate as the school’s valedictorian. After all, this is the dream her father had for her, and that her mother’s many sacrifices have made possible.