Dixie

Not only do Southerners talk slowly, but sometimes the whole language is hard to understand. No one realizes that more than Memphis belle Leelee Satterfield. Since she debuted in Whistlin' Dixie in a Nor'easter, Leelee has entertained tens of thousands of readers. Watching her tackle life and love in Vermont was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to antics, charades, mischief, and romance. Now that she's back in Memphis, and starting a new relationship with Peter, the Yankee chef from her New England inn, you'd think she'd sit back and enjoy her newly crafted life back home in Dixie. But that just wouldn't be as much fun. Opening up a new restaurant with Peter isn't as easy as she had anticipated, especially when it comes to the differences between the North and the South. When Leelee's ex-husband, Baker, returns unexpectedly, everything else goes haywire. Throw her three crazy best friends into the mix; Riley, her meddlesome next-door neighbor who sells Pampered Chef for a living; and Kissie, Leelee's beloved second mother who claims Riley sits on her "last raw nerve," and you have the perfect recipe for a sassy, Southern delicacy. Lisa Patton's Southern as a Second Language is an endearing and chuckle-inducing tale that keeps us guessing up to the very last page how it all works out in the end. Whether among maple trees in Vermont or magnolia-filled Memphis, Leelee's charm, heart, and laughter will delight readers in any climate.

It's the day of Emma's big relay race, and Dixie's come to watch. Emma tells Dixie that her job is to "sit, stay, and cheer." Dixie is disappointed that she can't race, too, but she's determined to be good. But when Emma trips and falls before the finish line, will Dixie obey her best friend and stay where she is or rush in to help? Find out in this lovable I Can Read book, the fifth book starring Dixie!

When Dixie sneaks her way onto the school bus with Emma, the two friends are in for a real trip! A class trip, in fact, to the dinosaur museum! Emma and her classmates learn all about how the dinosaurs lived from a real dinosaur expert. But when Dixie takes dinosaur bones like they're doggie treats, Emma steps in to save the museum. Can the pair dig their way out of their mess? Dixie and the School Trip is the fourth I Can Read story starring Dixie-a fantastic addition to any beginning reader's library.

Emma finds her inspiration with Dixie in this special wintertime adventure. When Emma is stumped by a school assignment-to write a poem about her "best day ever"-could a day of playing in the snow be exactly the thing Emma needs to help her write the perfect poem? With fun full-color illustrations on every page, Dixie's eighth I Can Read captures all the excitement of that coveted childhood event-a snow day! Dixie and the Best Day Ever is a Level One I Can Read book, which means it's perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences.

Emma and Dixie are the very best of friends. Emma is always there for Dixie and Dixie is always there for Emma! So when Emma is having trouble at school with one of her classmates, Dixie is there to be by her friend's side. Even when Emma tells Dixie to leave, she tries to stay-by hiding in the janitor's closet! But when Dixie is found by someone other than Emma, Dixie gets the opportunity to teach everyone a lesson in friendship. Dixie stars in her sixth I Can Read title, where big stories are told through simple, sweet text.

Emma gets to make a special treat for her class, so she decides to make her favorite, oatmeal spice cookies! But when there's a kitchen mix-up, sweet turns to spicy, and Emma goes to school with some bad treats. Luckily, Dixie sniffs out the problem and Emma's mom figures out the solution-but will the pair make it to school before it's too late? Dixie stars in another I Can Read title, a tasty treat for all beginning readers.

Beginning readers devoted to such characters as Henry and Mudge, Clifford, and Marley will adore this Dixie adventure, Dixie and the Good Deeds. Dixie the puppy faces many of the problems elementary school kids do. She wants to be good, but she makes mistakes. She worries about whether she'll be able to make new friends. She doesn't understand why bullies can't just be nice. She wishes she could spend all her time with her BFF, Emma, and feels left out when she can't. In Dixie and the Good Deeds, Emma takes on more volunteering projects in her community than she can handle. It's up to Dixie to come to the rescue. Full-color illustrations by Sarah McConnell add to the humor in this story by Grace Gilman.