A New Adventure (and Review of Past Escapades)!

It's nearly time for lights out! You know what that means . . . the newest Night Buddies Adventure is about to begin! Night Buddies and Evil School Bus #264 officially takes flight on Oct. 1st, but you can pre-order your copy now! PRE-ORDER EVIL SCHOOL BUS #264 When you...

Top 5 Magical Systems in Middle Grade Books

Blog Swap: Top Five Magic Systems in Middle-Grade Books

We have a special treat today! We are doing a blog swap with Kelly Byrd, author of the Far From Home middle-grade fantasy series. We’re pleased as punch to share part of this discussion of magic systems. To read the entire blog, visit Kelly Byrd.com. Our Top Five Magic Systems...

‘A Completely Unprecdictable Adventure’

Get ready for some good news! Drum roll, please . . . The fourth Night Buddies adventure, Night Buddies and Evil School Bus #264 will be out on October 1, 2023! Written by Sands Hetherington and illustrated by Natalie Leininger,  the newest Night Buddies tale is packed with high jinks,...

Peek inside Night Buddies and Evil School Bus #264

We’re getting closer to the release of the fourth Night Buddies adventure! In Night Buddies and Evil School Bus #264, the iguana gang returns to their evil tricks. John and Crosely’s program is to sniff out the iguana’s location and end their slimy ways. While you’re waiting for the book’s release,...

Fun & Wacky Fall Holidays

It's pumpkin spice season! Here is our list of fun, wacky, offbeat holidays you can celebrate in September and October. So get a Pet Rock, chew some gum, wear a necktie, and play some chess this fall! Once again, we turn to one of our favorite sites, HolidaysandObservances.com to discover...

4 Tips for Great Bedtime Stories

Today, we jump in the way back machine and review Night Buddies author Sands Hetherington’s tips for becoming a master bedtime storyteller.  So you’ve decided you want to tell a story to your child every night before they go to bed, but you’ve read every book in your house over...

5 Middle Grade Books on Emotions and Mental Health

Last week we talked about all the feels that come with starting a new year. Some feelings last a long time and require more attention and care. Today, we share five books with stories about emotions and mental health. They can be discussion starters or remind middle-grade readers they are...

All the Feels: Back to School Emotions

Preparing for a new school year provides an opportunity to do more than get new backpacks, shoes, and notebooks. It's an excellent time to help your child explore and talk about emotions and mental health. Many of us experience anxiety when we encounter change, and returning to school can mean...

6 Reasons to Read to Your Pet

Once upon a time, an emerging reader stumbled over words. She hated reading aloud in class, and when she tried to read to her family, they constantly interrupted the story to correct her mistakes. She decided she hated reading until one day, her kitten, Theo, asked her to read him...

Make Your Own Whatchamacallit

Night Buddies fans already know that a whatchamacallit is a small object with a special power. Crosley has several whatchamacallits on his belt to help him and John on their programs. Many of the whatchamacallits were created by Crenwinkle, but we’re sharing plans from his top-secret files so you can...

Kids Who Volunteer

Summer is an ideal time to introduce your children to volunteering. Children (really people of all ages) who volunteer: Learn empathy for others Discover new interests and develop new skills Learn teamwork Discover the value of community Learn to notice and respond to needs. Volunteering means freely offering to do...

Classics Middle Grade Readers Still Love

  Our your next trip to the library, look for one of these six classics that kids still love today. They make wonderful summer reading books or great stories to read aloud together at bedtime. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery  Written in 1908, Anne of Green Gables is...

Meet More of the Night Buddies Gang

You probably know a lot about John, Crosley, and Crenwinkle, but how well do you know the other characters in the Night Buddies gang? Today we will learn more about Fast Fanny, Lonnie, and Ronald Oglesby.   Fast Fanny Farnsworth Fast Fanny runs the All-Night Emporium, which sells and services...

On Beyond the 4th of July!

Break out the flags and fireworks for the annual Independence Day festivities, but don't stop there! Carry the fun on through summer with these lesser-known holidays. Once again, we turn to one of our favorite sites, HolidaysandObservances.com, for offbeat observances during July and August. What will you plan for these wacky...

S’mores Cheesecake Pops (Yum)!

Can't make it to the Pineapple Cheesecake Factory this summer? No worries. You can have a yummy taste of summer by making S'mores Cheesecake Pops at home. No campfire required—but feel free to build one anyway! Because of the freezer time between steps, you'll need about half a day to...

The Accidental Author

With three titles in print and a fourth coming this summer, we revisit Night Buddies author Sands Hetherington’s journey to becoming an accidental author. It started when he found himself a surprise single father. When Sand’s ex-wife announced she planned to move and take their young son, John, Sands tried...

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