Amelia Bedelia makes her chapter book debut! In Amelia Bedelia Means Business , a New York Times bestseller and the first book in the popular chapter book series, young Amelia Bedelia will do almost anything for a shiny new bicycle.  Amelia Bedelia's parents say they'll split the cost of a new bike with her, and that means Amelia Bedelia needs to put the pedal to the metal and earn some dough! With Amelia Bedelia anything can happen, and it usually does. Short, fast-paced chapters, tons of friends, silly situations, and funny wordplay and misunderstandings make the Amelia Bedelia chapter books an ideal choice for readers of the Ivy and Bean, Magic Tree House, and Judy Moody books. Features black-and-white pictures by Lynne Avril on every page! Look out! Here comes Amelia Bedelia, and she means business! "Sure to be favorites on the early chapter-book shelves."— School Library Journal Gr 2-4-Beginning chapter-book readers can meet the young Amelia Bedelia and enjoy her literal take on the world around her. In Business, the homophonic-challenged girl is looking for ways to earn money for a new bike. She encounters all sorts of mayhem as she helps out at the local diner, sells stolen flowers, has a run-in with the local police, and tries her luck selling drinks at her lemonade sit. (After all why should customers have to stand?) Wordplay abounds as Amelia "steps on it," splattering pie on a customer at a diner and taking each word to heart. Her parents are helpful in explaining meanings to her, but readers will laugh out loud as she navigates her way through a variety of business opportunities. In Unleashed, Amelia Bedelia searches for the perfect puppy. Her parents encourage her to learn about different breeds by helping her neighbor with her dog-walking business. While out walking several of the dogs, Amelia meets her friend Charlie and his pedigreed poodle. He invites her to help get Pierre "show ready" with a bath and coat trim. Things go badly awry, and the two friends have two hours to find the dog and figure out a way to fix his coat in time for the show. In both books, the illustrations bring the characters and plot to the forefront, and well-designed drawings provide reluctant readers with dynamic and whimsical visual cues. Rendered in gouache and black pencil, the artwork splashes across the pages. Sure to be favorites on the early chapter-book shelves.-Melissa Smith, Royal Oak Public Library, MIα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. Incorporating wordplay, puns, and humor, the first title in the new Amelia Bedelia Chapter Books series brings Peggy Parish’s classic character, here school-age, to a slightly older audience—courtesy of her nephew, Herman Parish. After seeing snarky classmate Kaite-Lynne’s fancy new bike, Amelia Bedelia wants one, too, but earning money isn’t easy. An apprentice-waitressing opportunity goes awry when a hurried customer requests, Bring me a piece of pie—and step on it! and well-meaning but ever-literal-minded Amelia Bedelia does both, with messy results. Her lemonade stand’s locale and festive sign (Lots of Lemons) garners attention, but it’s not the kind of publicity a used-car-lot owner appreciates. But, ultimately, and happily, there are silver linings, too. With the spirit and flair that epitomized the original character, Amelia Bedelia’s an earnest, appealing protagonist whose interpretations—and inadvertent misinterpretations—often lead to a great hullabaloo. Although the wordplay is occasionally challenging (e.g. like understanding lemon in reference to a car, or the idiom Cut the mustard) this is an enjoyable, entertaining read. Final illustrations not seen. Grades 2-4. --Shelle Rosenfeld “No child can resist Amelia [Bedelia] and her literal trips through the minefield of the English language―and no adult can fail to notice that she’s usually right when she’s wrong.” - New York Times Book Review Praise for the young Amelia Bedelia series: “Parish has turned the clock back, making Amelia Bedelia young again and giving a new generation of readers the opportunity to enjoy her humor and self-confidence.” - Kirkus Reviews “Her ingenuous spirit will continue to capture hearts.” - Publishers Weekly With Amelia Bedelia, anything can happen! Amelia Bedelia wants a new bike—a shiny, fast one just like Suzanne's. Amelia Bedelia's mom says that a bike like that is expensive and will cost an arm and a leg. Amelia Bedelia can't give away one of her arms and one of her legs! She needs both arms to steer, and both legs to pedal. What Amelia Bedelia needs is a job. Look out! Here comes Amelia Bedelia, and she means business! Herman Parish was in the fourth grade when his aunt, Peggy Parish, wrote the first book about Amelia Bedelia. The author lives in Princeton, New Jersey. Lynne Avril has illustrated all the stories about young Amelia Bedelia. The artist lives in Phoenix, Arizona.