Michael Dahl Presents: Side-Splitting Stories

In search of some summertime spending money, a young boy and his friend agree to paint a neighbor's garage. The neighbor allows the boys to come into her house for drinks and bathroom breaks. There's just one rule: don't let her high-energy, low-obedience puppy, Yorgy, out of the house. Unfortunately, that's exactly what they do! Will the boys locate the playful pup before it destroys the town and their chance to get paid? Find out in this side-splitting, rip-roaring chapter book, with an introduction by bestselling author Michael Dahl.

Wally Featherby loves animals. He has several pets, including a frog, a tarantula, a hedgehog named Mimi, and a parrot named Golly. But, one day while teaching Golly to say Mimi's name, something strange happens. His family starts claiming to see Mimi all over the house, even though she's still in his room. Wally's friend, Axado, even calls to say Mimi is in her yard. When the friends investigate the mystery, they discover hundreds of hedgehogs overrunning the city! What's going on? What's causing the multiplying Mimis? And, how will Wally and Axado stop the hedgehog horde?

Dozens of kids sign up to compete in a citywide scavenger hunt. The winning team will receive a historic prize, the team's likeness sculpted into a statue for the local park. Unfortunately, most players quickly become bad sports, resorting to some not-so-nice trickery, sabotage, and booby-traps to gain the upper hand. Will the best team win or the worst? Find out in this side-splitting, rip-roaring chapter book, with an introduction by bestselling author Michael Dahl.

Hector Gilligan and his little sister, Cressy, can't wait for the costume party at the new local waterpark. Hector plans to go as the Jellyfish Joker while Cressy dresses up as the famous Crabzilla. But, after the Gilligan family returns home, Cressy acts strangely. When they try to take off her costume, they can't-because it's the real Crabzilla! How they manage to bring home a giant-sized crab? And, where is Hector's little sister?

In the midst of a boring summer, soon-to-be fifth grader Angie DelMar discovers something amazing about the eccentric woman who's just moved into town. She is actually a mad scientist who plans to take over the world by enlarging and controlling insects! With the help of her friends Cooper, Genevieve, and Harvey, Angie nabs the mixture and flees. But before they reach safety, the friends encounter a day care center where the mixture is accidentally released. Soon the town is overcome by gigantic toddlers! Can the friends save the town, defeat the scientist, and restore the bawling, blubbering behemoths to their cute and cuddly size?

They're the world's greatest heroes! The grim avengers of the night! The planet's first line of defense against supervillains and alien threats! They're ... the Bug Brigade? Doug, Josie, Kira, and Reginald were all normal sixth graders at the start of their field trip to the Blue Mountain Science Museum. Proud members of the Bug Society of Littleton, the friends are thrilled to explore a private wing of the museum where they can learn all about their favorite insects. But when they get mixed up in a scientist's experiment involving radioactive bugs, they find themselves in over their heads (and antennas!). The Bug Brigade must swarm together to fight off an evil insect villain. Will their newfound buggy superpowers be up to the test?

While exploring planet Buck, Buck, Buck, twin sisters Atari and Zaria don't realize that they're being watched by two alien natives. When the girls find the aliens hiding in their tent, all four are startled and chaos erupts as they chase each other through the forest. But, things change when they all run into a giant, fire-breathing chicken! Will the aliens and humans learn to work together to defeat the monstrous chicken beast?

Marisa and Lorenzo Conchito and their friends want to make an old-fashioned vampire movie. Luckily, their friend Jeff knows just the place to film it. His uncle Felix was an actor in several old horror movies, and his creepy old mansion is the perfect location. Felix is happy to let them film their movie at his house. He has just one rule: "Don't go in the basement!" What secrets could Felix be hiding in the basement? And, why does he sleep so much during the day?