Plantzilla

When Mortimer's parents allow him to bring home Mr. Lester's seemingly innocent classroom plant for vacation, he finds that when you give a living thing love, you just don't know where it will lead!

Mortimer Henryson loves Plantzilla, the plant he's been taking care of all year in his third-grade classroom. He loves him so much, he takes him home for summer vacation. What could go wrong with a . . . plant? But life in the Henryson household soon takes a strange turn. A pot roast disappears, then steaks from the grill—and where has Mrs. Henryson's prize Chihuahua gone?

In this hilarious story told ingeniously through letters, Jerdine Nolen and David Catrow team up to show that when there's enough love, even the most unlikely character can become part of a family.

Author Biography: JERDINE NOLEN is the author of Raising Dragons , illustrated by Elise Primavera, which won the Christopher Award and was a Smithsonian Magazine Notable Book for Children. Her Harvey Potter's Balloon Farm was a made into a Hallmark Hall of Fame network movie, which is currently available on video. She lives in Maryland.

David Catrow has illustrated many books for children, including Cinderella Skeleton by Robert San Souci and The Emperor's Old Clothes by Kathryn Lasky, which was a New York Times Best Book of the Year. He lives in Ohio.