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"--

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 his friends are afraid that Ms. Todd, their substitute teacher, has killed their regular teacher and is trying to take over her job.

The new lunch lady at Ella Mentry School, Ms. LaGrange, writes secret messages in the mashed potatoes and tries her best to get A.J. and the other students to eat healthy foods.

"The wackiest road trip in history continues as the McDonald twins travel the Southwest dodging nefarious villains and visiting weird but true American landmarks"--

A.J. and his classmates are convinced that new school librarian, Mrs. Roopy, has multiple personality disorder because she keeps pretending to be famous people.

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.

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.

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

Disaster reigns when A.J. participates in the school's holiday pageant celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa.