Courtney Sheinmel

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  Life is sweet for Stella Batts!

   Read Stella's latest book:
 

Stella Batts

"Stella's voice is winsomely matter-of-fact and authentically age-appropriate. She deals with minor issues that many readers will immediately recognize... As in her other, now-numerous outings, Stella is a likable child; it's pleasant to spend time with her."
-Kirkus

Are you afraid of the dark?

Stella Batts never thought she was. In fact she's not feeling afraid anything right now. She's just excited. Her class read the most books out of every class in school. The prize is a sleepover in the library! What could be better than that?

Everyone is in pajamas, even the teachers. The kids break off into groups to go on a scavenger hunt. That's when Stella finds a really old book by an author who is also named Stella B. Though the subject matter is nothing this Stella would ever write about. And then there's an unexpected visitor who shows up in the middle of the night.

Stella doesn't know what to think, but she knows one thing for sure - she's scared of the dark now!

Coming to a bookstore near you May 2016!

 


   Start from the beginning:
 

Stella Batts

A List by Stella Batts: Things You Should Know About this Book

1. It's an autobiography. That means I wrote it and it's all about me. I'm eight years old, I'm in third grade, and I live in Somers, California. My favorite place in Somers is Batts Confections – that's the candy store my family owns, and there's a lot of information about it in this book.

2. There's also stuff about some of my favorite people, like my best friend Willa, my parents and even my sister Penny, who copies me a lot but she's still one of my favorites.

3. I even wrote about some people I don't like very much, like Mr. Moyers, the substitute lunch aide, and Joshua, the biggest meanie in my class. Joshua calls me Smella, because of something that happened on our class nature walk.

4. That's when I decided I had to change my name to something that does NOT rhyme with Smella. Kids never get to pick their own names, but I think they should, and a bunch of my friends agreed with me. You'll just have to read this book to find out what happened next!

 



Stella Batts

Stella Batts is back!

One of the best things about having parents who own a candy store is getting to be an Official Batts Confections Taste-Tester. When her dad brings home Magical Glow-in-the-Dark Chewing Gum, Stella can't wait to try it out – especially since her younger sister Penny is already blowing bubbles and making magic-gum wishes that keep coming true.

Except all the gum brings Stella is a lot of bad luck. First she can't even blow a bubble. Then she falls asleep chewing a piece of gum that ends up wadded in her hair.

Things go from bad to worse. After a drastic haircut, the meanest boy in school tells Stella she looks like a boy, her best friend Willa announces she's moving clear across the country, and Penny loses her beloved stuffed animal, Belinda.

It's hard to believe in any kind of magic when the things you love start disappearing. But Stella knows that when the going gets tough, the tough get going – that's exactly what she plans to do.

 


Stella Batts

Stella's best friend Willa just moved all the way across the country. But that doesn't mean they're not best friends anymore…or does it? Willa won't even come to the phone when Stella calls her.

Finding a new best friend is not so easy. Some people get to have dogs, but that's out of the question, since Stella's mom isn't a pet person. And anyway, having a human best friend would be so much better.

But things are looking up when she meets Evie, the new girl in town. Evie's also going to be in Mrs. Finkel's class, and she needs a new best friend too. Stella can't wait to introduce her to the other third graders.

Except when they get to school, things don't exactly go the way Stella planned.


Stella Batts

Who knew you could catch a case of the meanies?

On Monday Stella's teacher, Mrs. Finkel, says that everyone has to write a story for homework. Since writing is one of Stella's favorite things, it's certain to be a great week!

But then Joshua, the meanest boy in school, invites everyone in the class to his birthday party - everyone EXCEPT Stella. To make matters worse, the party is at Batts Confections - the store that Stella's family owns! Shouldn't that be against the rules? Stella's mom and dad are busy making plans for the new baby, and they say they won't cancel the party.

The meanies seem to be going around. Mrs. Finkel doesn't like Stella's story idea. Then there's Stella's little sister Penny, who had a fight with a boy in her class and stomped on his foot.

And Stella may just be coming down with a case of the meanies herself!

 


Stella Batts

The Batts household is growing! Baby Marco has arrived, and Stella loves being the oldest of three - even if her brother can't do much yet.

But you know who can do more than a new baby? A new dog! With her grandmother's permission, Stella agrees to dog-sit for her friend Evie's puppy. Stella's mom is not that happy with the arrangement, but Stella knows it will be okay, because she'll take care of everything.

Except things don't go as planned. The puppy runs away on Stella's watch. Will she be found before Evie gets home? Will anyone ever trust Stella to be in charge again?

And if they do trust her, does she want the responsibility?


Stella Batts

The Batts family has arrived at a hotel in Los Angeles and everything is all set for Aunt Laura's wedding weekend. Stella and Penny are going to be getting a new uncle, and a new cousin! Plus, they get to be flower girls, and wear fancy dresses, and walk down the aisle throwing rose petals.

It's going to be perfect - just the way Aunt Laura has imagined it. Just the way Stella has imagined it, too.

But sometimes a wedding doesn't happen the way anyone thinks it will - including the bride. Things are starting to go wrong, and Stella is worried that it's all her fault!

 


Stella Batts

Stella Batts has a lot of secrets to keep these days - there's the secret of what really happened to her little sister's pet fish, and there's the secret school project she's working on with her friend Lucy, and there's the secret on the second floor of her family's candy store…

Actually, Stella doesn't know the candy store secret yet, because her dad won't tell her. Even though she's eight years old, and that's old enough to be trusted!

Stella hasn't told any of her other secrets all week, and some of her other friends are feeling left out.

But that's the problem with being told a secret: You have to keep it!

Stella Batts

Life is pretty super for Stella Batts right now!

Stella has always loved watching her favorite show, SUPERSTAR SAM. Now she will be in it!

That's right - a casting director spotted Stella out to dinner with her family, and he said Stella is the perfect kid for a part on the show.

Stella's parents say being a child actor is a hard job, and her little sister Penny is jealous she doesn't get to be on TV. But Stella knows everything will be great. She practices her lines until she knows them by heart, and she can't wait to meet her favorite actress.

But life as a TV star isn't as easy as it looks.

 

IndieBound
IndieBound
Autographed copies of my books can be ordered through my local bookstore, Books of Wonder. You can also get them from online retailers (I recommend IndieBound) or by dropping by your local bookstore!

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