Jennifer Richard Jacobson Books In Order

Winnie, Dancing On Her Own

For the first time since they were five, the girls didn’t know how to be with one another. It was as if Winnie had said ‘I don’t want to be in the club anymore.’
Threesomes are hard, everyone says, but since kindergarten, Vanessa, Winnie, Zoe the End of the Alphabet Club have done everything together: sleepovers, trips to the library, games at recess. Yet now, as the world of ballet enters their lives, Winnie fears she will lose her two best friends.
Simply told and illustrated with heartfelt, spirited drawings, this early chapter book explores the mysteries and joys of friendship.

Truly Winnie

It’s off to camp for Winnie: sunny days of rock climbing, cascading down slippery falls, floating in a cool lake and meeting a fascinating new friend. Winnie can’t remember ever having more fun. But in the midst of the excitement, Winnie discovers how complicated life can get too as she watches one fib tumble mysteriously and rapidly to the next not so little lie. Readers will once again find a friend in Winifred Fletcher in this early chapter book, written with authenticity and illustrated with charming line drawings.

Winnie At Her Best

Zoe’s the smartest, said Vanessa, I m the best actress, and you, Winifred Fletcher…
she said, turning to Winnie. You are the best Winnie waited to hear what Vanessa would say. It seemed as if Vanessa had to check every cupboard in her brain to find an answer.

How do you know if you re really good at something and not just ordinary? Can you be the best at something if you really want to? With humor and insight, Jennifer Richard Jacobson captures the complex emotions of jealousy, competition, self doubt, and, ultimately, self acceptance.

Andy Shane and the Very Bossy Dolores Starbuckle

With insight and humor, Jennifer Richard Jacobson explores a common childhood anxiety and finds a quiet way to boost self esteem, aided by Abby Carter’s expressive illustrations.

Andy Shane did not want to be in school. He did not want to be at morning meeting. He did not want to sit up straight on the rug.

Andy Shane would much rather be home catching bugs with Granny Webb than sitting in class with the likes of know it all Dolores Starbuckle. Any minute, Dolores is likely to shout out, ‘Ms. Janice, someone’s not sitting properly!’ or ‘Ms. Janice, someone’s misusing the math materials!’ meaning him, of course. At rhyme time, the words bug and rug get stuck in Andy’s throat while Dolores yells out of turn, ‘Hullabaloo and Kalamazoo!’

‘I hate school,’ he blurts out at the end of the day to Granny Webb, who is sympathetic but firm. But when Granny makes a surprise visit to school with a monarch caterpillar, everyone is mesmerized and Andy remembers how much he knows about insects himself. Even Dolores Starbuckle can’t help but be impressed!

Andy Shane and the Pumpkin Trick

When pranksters ruin Dolores Starbuckle’s perfectly good pumpkins, Andy Shane puts his trickiest plan to the test in this humorous, uplifting tale filled with Halloween fun. Andy Shane does not want to go to Dolores Starbuckle’s birthday party. It’s on the same day as Halloween! Plus, Dolores is always ordering Andy around, making Andy lists on a clipboard, or squealing over Andy’s marble collection. But when Dolores tells him that someone is smashing pumpkins in front of her house, the idea of tricking the tricksters sounds too appealing to resist. Maybe there’s even a way to scare off the vandals and give Dolores a really great present, all at the same time!

Andy Shane and the Queen of Egypt

‘Andy and Dolores tangle as they try to negotiate their bumpy friendship…
. An upbeat volume for confident beginning readers.’ THE HORN BOOKThe school Culture Fair is coming up, and Andy Shane has to pick an African country to learn about. Deciding isn t easy for Andy, so he’s glad when Granny Webb gives him a scarab beetle, which he knows is a symbol of Egypt. But when Andy tries to tell Ms. Janice, Dolores Starbuckle springs up with her gold jewelry and glitter sandals and claims that she is the queen of Egypt. Dolores always gets her way but this time Andy doesn t feel like caving in. What will it take for him to share his project with the bossy queen? Fans of the endearing Andy Shane will be happy to see him holding his own in his new early chapter book adventure.

Andy Shane Is Not in Love

When a new girl comes to Andy’s school, a jealous Dolores thinks he’s in love but Andy’s thoughts are on a companion of the four legged kind. On the day Ms. Janice introduces Lark Alice Bell to the class, Dolores is proud to be the new girl’s helper at recess. But Dolores is not so glad to see her friend Andy scribbling LAB inside a heart in his notebook, and she’s downright mad to find out that Lark has visited Andy at home. Luckily, when they all go back to Lark’s house and take a peek at the squirming puppies in her baseme*nt Dolores figures out what has really been on Andy’s mind all along. In his fourth engaging adventure, Andy Shane learns about the delicate balance of old friends and new, and the special joy of bringing home a dog of his own.

Andy Shane and the Barn Sale Mystery

The spirit of giving takes a twisty turn as Andy schemes to give Granny Webb the best present ever-and ends up with a mystery on his hands.

It’s Andy Shane and Granny Webb’s unbirthday, and Andy has thought of just the right gift for Granny Webb: a case to hold her beloved binoculars. The only problem is that Andy has no money. But with the help of his friend Dolores Starbuckle, he comes up with the perfect plan-a barn sale! And sure enough, the determined duo sells enough stuff to afford the binoculars case-but now where are the binoculars? The endearing Andy Shane and his enterprising pal Dolores call on their best detective skills in this witty mystery story. But can they solve the case in time for the unbirthday party?

Andy Shane, Hero At Last

A bicycle decorating contest provides Andy with a humorous and highly appreciated opportunity to save the hometown parade. There are two things Andy Shane wants more than anything to win the contest for best decorated bike in the parade, and…
to be a hero. He has a great idea for the bike part, although high strung Dolores is upping the ante with her paper daisy covered helmets for her and her cat. But the second goal has Andy stumped, until the parade is in motion and his eagle eyes catch the reason why the drum corps has suddenly thrown the marchers out of whack. Pass the baton to a lovably low key hero as he saves the day in a new adventure for early chapter book readers.

Stained

Jocelyn has two boys in her life. And a priest. Gabe has shared fourteen years of growing up next door. He’s ‘a golden boy, an all star.’ Yet now, in the spring of 1975, he’s missing, disappeared on the brink of senior year at Weaver High. The whole town is set to go searching for him. Benny has only been in New Hampshire since January, yet for Joss, he’s the answer to a long held prayer to be someone in somebody’s eyes. She loves them both. Father Warren hair turning white and ‘kind of cool in his black clothes’ is a link between the three of them. Or a wedge. Or a threat. For Joss, the priest holds power over her sense of herself; for Benny, power over his soul; for Gabe, so mysterious and alluring, he holds the power of destiny. In a story shot with suspense, these four characters, and the lives of others they’ve touched in their small town, intermingle with unforgettable force.

The Complete History of Why I Hate Her

Nola wants nothing more than a summer on her own and a job at an upscale Maine coast resort sounds ideal. Waitressing three meals a day, but lots of beach time in between, some freedom from her big sister role to Song, who is undergoing chemo back home in Massachusetts, the chance to make some friends. Enter Carly, the perfect pal, full of jokes, ideas, energy and experienced at being away from her mysterious family. But Carly is much more complicated than the usual summer buddy a border line personality who can turn on Nola in a flash, who can make love a rivalry, something that, even at a distance, Song becomes ensnared in. Here is a dramatic look at a girl/girl teen dynamic. To say nothing of boys.

Small As an Elephant

Jack’s mom is gone, leaving him all alone on a campsite in Maine. Can he find his way back to Boston before the authorities realize what happened?Ever since Jack can remember, his mom has been unpredictable, sometimes loving and fun, other times caught in a whirlwind of energy and ‘spinning’ wildly until it’s over. But Jack never thought his mom would take off during the night and leave him at a campground in Acadia National Park, with no way to reach her and barely enough money for food. Any other kid would report his mom gone, but Jack knows by now that he needs to figure things out for himself starting with how to get from the backwoods of Maine to his home in Boston before Social Services catches on. With nothing but a small toy elephant to keep him company, Jack begins the long journey south, a journey that will test his wits and his loyalties and his trust that he may be part of a larger herd after all.

Moon Sandwich Mom

Rafferty wants to play with his mom, but Mrs. Fox is too busy painting. So Rafferty packs up his things and heads off in search of a new mother. Along the way he encounters some of his friends and their fun moms. At first, Rafferty enjoys hanging out with these different moms. But soon he comes to realize that his mom is the most fun of all. Full color.