Dan Gutman

"A. J. and the Ella Mentry School gang learn some unusual self-defense moves from a wacky teacher who thinks he's an action hero"--

Miss Daisy's unusual teaching methods surprise her second grade students, especially reluctant learner A.J.

A skateboarding principal offers unusual incentives to his students to motivate them to learn more.

When the students of Ella Mentry School receive a million-dollar donation and vote to create an in-school, state-of-the-art TV station so the morning announcements can be broadcast to all the classes, A.J. and the gang wonder about the agenda of their new teacher, Ms. Cuddy, who decides the announcement ratings are too low and has some quirky ideas about how to increase the station's popularity.

A.J. and the other second graders do everything except play sports when they go to "fizz ed" class with their new teacher, Miss Small.

When the teachers of Ella Mentry School go on strike, A. J. and the gang meet a new principal who does not believe in rules and says that the students do not have to learn anything if they do not want to.

A school trip to the natural history museum goes awry when the curator, Ms. Krup, loses her giant cockroach and A.J. and his friends decide to explore the museum in the middle of the night.

With guidance from Miss Brown, a teacher who is an expert on creativity, the third grade class at Ella Mentry School builds a car and a bridge to compete in a Brain Games competition against Dirk School.

Mr. Macky dresses up as Abraham Lincoln to get the students at Ella Mentry School excited about their Presidents' Day oral reports.

It's Thanksgiving! A.J. is thankful for four days off from school. But he's not thankful for Dr. Carbles, who is grumpier than ever. Dr. Carbles even fires Mr. Klutz! Will A.J. and his friends be able to save their principal's job?