contests

Cupcake Club founder Katie Brown's stepsister Emily enters a baking contest at her new school and discovers her own way to bake.

Emily Snook is a whiz in the kitchen. But when she enters an international cooking contest and meets the competition, her hopes of winning deflate like a botched souffl(c). Everyone is older, taller and in serious doubt of her cooking capabilities! A classic underdog story, Emily Snook: The World's Smallest Cook reminds readers of the power of determination and a willingness to take risks. With the encouragement and support of her favorite sous chef--her grandpa--Emily tackles each cooking catastrophe that threatens her chance of winning. From utensils that are too big to counters too high, Emily Snook takes on the challenges of being the tiniest contestant, proving to everyone that being small doesn't mean you can't do it all. Told with rhythmic rhyme and incorporating vibrant, kid-friendly illustrations, this story will delight young readers who enjoy crafting culinary creations of their own. It's a great choice for story-time at the library or for enhancing classroom discussions about perseverance and positivity, and of course, for reading with grandparents throughout the year.

Seventeen-year-old Ross Quest, a master thief, enters the Thieves' Gambit, a competition consisting of dangerous, international heists, in order to save her mother's life.

"Twelve-year-old Tyler Goodman faces off against other competitive cubers at the Speed Cubing National Championships"--Provided by publisher.

"A mermaid with no tail decides she wants to compete in the Mermaid Games. The other mermaids make fun of her for being different. But her adoptive turtle parents are supportive and encouraging, and her shark coach, Phelpsy, teaches her to swim using her arms. The mermaid trains hard, maintains a good attitude, and eventually wins the games"--Provided by publisher.

Bay Ann is sure her tap dance will shine at the school talent show, but when her crush, Alyee Maq, catches her before she falls (which was his fault anyway) and gets all the "fame" she is determined to beat him at his own attention-seeking game.

"The Surfin' Shark Competition is about to start, and Kitana's ready to cheer her best chum Mack to victory! Though he rolls and dives his heart out, Mack may not swim out on top. Can Kitana help him see that being a princess is about more than winning?"--Provided by publisher.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen accidentally becomes a contender in the annual Hunger Games, a grave competition hosted by the Capitol where young boys and girls are pitted against one another in a televised fight to the death.

Max Lightning has finally qualified for Gamerville, a championship where players compete to be top dog in the multiplayer video game "Lone Wolf of Calamity Bay," but his dreams of winning the tournament are crushed when his parents send him to Camp Refresh, a tech-free summer camp. Soon, his days are filled with fresh air and group activities under the hot sun, but when he realizes how close Gamerville is to camp, he begins plotting his escape.

"With more than 34 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading! Ella Mentry School has been taken over by a prank-palooza in this holiday-themed My Weird School Special from New York Times bestselling author Dan Gutman and veteran illustrator Jim Paillot. A.J. and the gang are tired of Miss Banks and her constant pranks. They decide to get her back and, afterward, the principal, Mrs. Stoker, suggests a weeklong prank competition between the students and the teachers. If the kids manage to pull off a win, they'll get a candy party! And so begins the most epic prank war that Ella Mentry School has ever seen! But can the kids outprank their teachers before the week is up? With Dan Gutman's signature kid-friendly sense of humor and Jim Paillot's fun illustrations, this is one weird April Fools' Day special you won't want to miss--featuring bonus trivia, games, puzzles, and more!"--.