Crimebiters!

From the author of Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading comes a humorous and illustrated new series about a boy whose new dog may or may not be a crimefighting vampire. Jimmy Bishop loves doing 3 things: 1) Laughing at funny dog videos online,2) watching his favorite show (Stop! Police!) on TV, 3) and reading his favorite vampire book (Fang Goodness) over and over. His self-involved older sister and workaholic Mom think he needs to stop obsessing already! But when his Dad finally allows Jimmy to get a puppy before school starts, everything changes and Jimmy has something new to focus on: his amazing dog, Abby who seems to have some very unusual habits. She sleeps all day but is wired at night, and she runs from the garlic kelp biscuit made by Jimmy's strange new babysitter Mrs. Cragg. There's just something different about Abby. Could she possibly be...a vampire? Jimmy's best friend Irwin thinks Jimmy's being ridiculous, but then when Abby uncovers a real crime in progress and helps him become friends with an actual, human girl, even Irwin has to admit that perhaps Abby might have some super powers after all. Praise for Crimebiters! #1: My Dog is Better Than Your Dog:"Lively dialogue and brief chapters punctuated by Jimmy's wry observations keep the story moving swiftly, while Stower's cartoons underline the comedic wisdom of some of the facts Jimmy collects ("Fact: Adults never eat the disgusting stuff they feed you.") and the madcap action that unfolds." -- Publishers Weekly"Who wouldn't want to read a whole series of superhero-vampire-crime-fighter-dog books?" -- Kirkus ReviewsPraise for Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading:*"Hilarious... This debut is filled with passages that beg to be shared... With its subversive humor and contemporary details drawn straight from kids' worlds, this clever title should attract a wide following." -- Booklist, starred review "This is a fun, fast-moving look at middle-school life through the eyes of a kid who would rather clean his room than pick up a book. Reluctant readers will be pleased." -- School Library Journal "Charlie Joe's insider knowledge of the inner machinations of middle-school cliques will make younger readers smile in anticipation, and his direct address to readers makes make him feel like an older buddy showing the way... Slackers everywhere have a new, likable hero in Charlie Joe Jackson." -- Kirkus Reviews "Greenwald pulls off a clever bit of reverse psychology in his debut, first in a series starring a cheeky middle grader who goes to great lengths to avoid reading--and whose humor and rapid-fire delivery should draw in like-minded kids." -- Publishers Weekly Adam Stower has illustrated many books for children including the Crimebiters series by Tommy Greenwald. He studied illustration at the Norwich School of Art and Design and at the University of Brighton. He lives with his daughter in Brighton, England. You can visit him at www.worldofadam.com. Tommy Greenwald is the author of many books for children, including the CrimeBiters! series, the Charlie Joe Jackson series, and the football novel Game Changer. This is his first series for zombies. From Crimebiters #1: My Dog is Better Than Yout Dog:I know what you're thinking.You're thinking that just because I love crimefighters, vampires and dogs, I made up the whole thing about having a crimefighting vampire dog.Well, I didn't. It's all true. This story is so crazy that I don't think ANYBODY could have made it up. Not even Elroy Evans, writer of the greatest vampire books ever, or Stanley Murdock, creator of the greatest police show ever.The truth is that my dog Abby totally 1) saved me from my slightly crazy babysitter, 2) helped me become friends with an actual, human girl, and 3) stopped evil criminal masterminds in my very own backyard! Praise for Crimebiters! #1: My Dog is Better Than Your Dog:"Lively dialogue and brief chapters punctuated by Jimmy's wry obse

From the author of Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading comes the second book in the humorous & illustrated new series about a boy whose new dog may or may not be a crimefighting vampire. Jimmy is sure that his dog Abby is special. After all, it was Abby who (with the help of Jimmy & friends) helped nab the criminal Barnaby Bratford and shut down Barnaby's babysitting service, a front for robbing the nice folks of Quietville. Jimmy's parents, on the other hand, are starting to feel like Abby is one destructive little dog (she chewed up Mom's entire shoe collection!) and they insist on enrolling Abby in obedience training. The only problem is that the longer Abby's in class, the more normal (read: boring) she becomes. Jimmy's superhero crime-fighting vampire dog is slowly becoming just like every other dog. She doesn't even sneak out at night anymore! At the same time Jimmy's friends (the Crimebiters) are realizing that there's just not very much crime to fight in their tiny town. But when Jimmy joins the lacrosse team & mysterious things start happening on and off the field, the Crimebiters realize that Abby better get back to her crime-fighting ways... and fast! Praise for Crimebiters! #1: My Dog is Better Than Your Dog:"Lively dialogue and brief chapters punctuated by Jimmy's wry observations keep the story moving swiftly, while Stower's cartoons underline the comedic wisdom of some of the facts Jimmy collects ("Fact: Adults never eat the disgusting stuff they feed you.") and the madcap action that unfolds." -- Publishers Weekly"Readers will be laughing out loud in this tale about Jimmy and his new dog. Jimmy believes that his newly adopted dog, Abby, is a crime-fighting vampire. Abby sleeps during the day, is sensitive to light, has unusually large fangs, and Jimmy thinks she might be flying out his window at night. When he and Abby encounter suspicious events regarding his creepy new babysitter, Jimmy finds himself in the midst of a criminal adventure. Character profiles of Jimmy's family and friends are introduced into the plot, with accompanying b&w illustrations. Random "Facts" appear throughout the text. These facts allow for additional insight into the plot and add whimsy and kid-friendly readability. Jimmy's adventures, the first in the Crimebiters! series, will appeal to all tween readers, but especially to boys." -- School Library ConnectionPraise for Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading:*"Hilarious... This debut is filled with passages that beg to be shared... With its subversive humor and contemporary details drawn straight from kids' worlds, this clever title should attract a wide following." -- Booklist, starred review "This is a fun, fast-moving look at middle-school life through the eyes of a kid who would rather clean his room than pick up a book. Reluctant readers will be pleased." -- School Library Journal "Charlie Joe's insider knowledge of the inner machinations of middle-school cliques will make younger readers smile in anticipation, and his direct address to readers makes make him feel like an older buddy showing the way... Slackers everywhere have a new, likable hero in Charlie Joe Jackson." -- Kirkus Reviews "Greenwald pulls off a clever bit of reverse psychology in his debut, first in a series starring a cheeky middle grader who goes to great lengths to avoid reading--and whose humor and rapid-fire delivery should draw in like-minded kids." -- Publishers Weekly Adam Stower has illustrated many books for children including the Crimebiters series by Tommy Greenwald. He studied illustration at the Norwich School of Art and Design and at the University of Brighton. He lives with his daughter in Brighton, England. You can visit him at www.worldofadam.com. Tommy Greenwald is the author of many books for children, including the CrimeBiters! series, the Charlie Joe Jackson series, and the football novel Game Changer. This is his first series for zombies. P

From the author of Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading comes the third book in the humorous & illustrated new series about a boy whose new dog may or may not be a crime-fighting vampire. Just what every crimebiting gang needs... a cat?!?!No one fights crime harder than the Crimebiters gang... and of course my crime-fighting dog, Abby. Together, we've fought against corruption in the world of elementary school sports and even stopped a neighborhood crime ring! But now a copy of the final math test has been stolen, AND our local animal shelter (where I found Abby!) is in danger of closing. As if that weren't enough, Daisy has introduced her new kitten, Purrkins, into the Crimebiters family -- and everyone knows that cats and dogs fight like... well, cats and dogs! Can four determined kids and two squabbling pets come together to save the day again? I'd say we have a furry good chance. Praise for Crimebiters!:"Lively dialogue and brief chapters punctuated by Jimmy's wry observations keep the story moving swiftly, while Stower's cartoons underline the comedic wisdom of some of the facts Jimmy collects ('Fact: Adults never eat the disgusting stuff they feed you.') and the madcap action that unfolds." -- Publishers Weekly"Readers will be laughing out loud in this tale about Jimmy and his new dog. Jimmy believes that his newly adopted dog, Abby, is a crime-fighting vampire. Abby sleeps during the day, is sensitive to light, has unusually large fangs, and Jimmy thinks she might be flying out his window at night. When he and Abby encounter suspicious events regarding his creepy new babysitter, Jimmy finds himself in the midst of a criminal adventure. Character profiles of Jimmy's family and friends are introduced into the plot, with accompanying b&w illustrations. Random 'Facts' appear throughout the text. These facts allow for additional insight into the plot and add whimsy and kid-friendly readability. Jimmy's adventures, the first in the Crimebiters! series, will appeal to all tween readers, but especially to boys." -- School Library ConnectionPraise for Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading:* "Hilarious... This debut is filled with passages that beg to be shared... With its subversive humor and contemporary details drawn straight from kids' worlds, this clever title should attract a wide following." -- Booklist, starred review "This is a fun, fast-moving look at middle-school life through the eyes of a kid who would rather clean his room than pick up a book. Reluctant readers will be pleased." -- School Library Journal "Charlie Joe's insider knowledge of the inner machinations of middle-school cliques will make younger readers smile in anticipation, and his direct address to readers makes him feel like an older buddy showing the way... Slackers everywhere have a new, likable hero in Charlie Joe Jackson." -- Kirkus Reviews "Greenwald pulls off a clever bit of reverse psychology in his debut, first in a series starring a cheeky middle grader who goes to great lengths to avoid reading -- and whose humor and rapid-fire delivery should draw in like-minded kids." -- Publishers Weekly Tommy Greenwald is the author of many books for children, including the CrimeBiters! series, the Charlie Joe Jackson series, and the football novel Game Changer. This is his first series for zombies. Praise for Crimebiters!:"Lively dialogue and brief chapters punctuated by Jimmy's wry observations keep the story moving swiftly, while Stower's cartoons underline the comedic wisdom of some of the facts Jimmy collects ('Fact: Adults never eat the disgusting stuff they feed you.') and the madcap action that unfolds." -- Publishers Weekly"Readers will be laughing out loud in this tale about Jimmy and his new dog. Jimmy believes that his newly adopted dog, Abby, is a crime-fighting vampire. Abby sleeps during the day, is sensitive to light, has unusually large fangs, and Jimmy thinks she might be flying out his window at night.

The CrimeBiters gang got its start with help from my crime-fighting vampire dog, Abby. But now, I'm starting to wonder if she's really a vampire at all... That's mystery I'm going to have to solve on my own. The rest of the Crime-biters are pretty busy with their own stuff. Irwin's planning an epic birthday party for the ages, Baxter's worrying about his brother enlisting in the army, and Daisy is cartwheeling her way through cheerleading practice (shudder!). There's only one person I can turn to: the best vampire fiction writer that ever lived, Elroy Evans. He's coming to the nearby COM-MIX convention and I have to ask him the question that's threatening to drive a stake through my heart. Can a dog really be a vampire?