From the author of Stick Dog comes the fourth book in a highly illustrated early chapter book series about three best friends whose plans, missions, and schemes are sure to shake up their school. The weather outside is frightful! The temperature is dropping fast, and Rosie, Molly, and Simon are determined to come up with a way to keep their feet from freezing off on their walk to school. But can they finish their plan before the next snow-pocalypse? HarperChapters build confident readers one chapter at a time! With short, fast-paced books, art on every page, and milestone markers at the end of every chapter, they're the perfect next step for fans of I Can Read! Creative Problem-Solving: Three best friends, one huge problem: frozen feet! Join Rosie, Molly, and Simon as they invent a wild contraption to survive the winter walk to school. - Hilarious School Adventures: From inflatable muscleman suits to wacky ideas about monster trucks, Simon’s plans are always over-the-top, guaranteeing laughs on every page. - Hands-On STEM for Kids: Discover the power of friction! The team puts science to the test to generate heat and build their amazing heated wagon, “Rosie’s Wicked Ride”. - Perfect for Early Readers: With easy-to-read chapters, a fast-paced story, and fun illustrations on every page, this book is designed to build reading confidence. Gr 2–4—From the author of "Stick Dog" comes the fourth book in the "Trouble at Table 5" series. With the temperatures in the low teens, Molly, Rosie, and Simon try to figure out how they can keep warm on their walk to school. Molly is inquisitive and likes even numbers, Rosie likes to solve problems, and Simon is full of energy and wild ideas. While physical descriptions of the characters are not given, the illustrations show Molly and Rosie as darker-skinned, and Simon as white. This is a cheerful story about three friends who also love to use science and engineering to solve problems. Engaging questions ("What are some ways to generate heat?" "Can you eat 2,428 marshmallows?") are sprinkled throughout the volume. Milestone markers at the end of each chapter will encourage and support students new to chapter books. The illustrations strengthen the text, even with limited colors, and a "Fun and Games" section at the end of the book gives readers a few easy activities to extend their own learning. VERDICT With a number of captivating activities and tools for young readers, this title is a worthy addition to any early chapter book section.—V. Lynn Christiansen, Wiley International Studies Magnet Elem. Sch., Raleigh, NC “Encouraging emergent readers with progress notes at each chapter’s end, this series kickoff introduces a diverse trio of third-grade friends with complementary traits.…Kissi adds a two-color illustration of the trio in action, a fanciful diagram, or a bit of arithmetic to almost every page of the well-paced, well-spaced narrative.” - Booklist “With likable characters, an amusing situation, and lots of reinforcement for readers, this effort is sure to be a hit.” - Kirkus Reviews Tom Watson lives in Chicago with his wife, daughter, and son. He also has a dog, as you could probably guess. The dog is a Labrador-Newfoundland mix. Tom says he looks like a Labrador with a bad perm. He wanted to name the dog "Put Your Shirt On" (please don't ask why), but he was outvoted by his family. The dog's name is Shadow. Early in his career Tom worked in politics, including a stint as the chief speechwriter for the governor of Ohio. This experience helped him develop the unique, storytelling narrative style of the Stick Dog books. More important, Tom's time in politics made him realize a very important thing: Kids are way smarter than adults. And it's a lot more fun and rewarding to write stories for them than to write speeches for grown-ups. Marta Kissi is a London-based illustrator originally from Warsaw. She studied BA illustration & animation at Kingston University and MA communication art & design at the Royal College of Art. Her favorite part of being an illustrator is bringing stories to life by designing charming characters and the wonderful worlds they live in. She shares a studio in London with her husband, James, and their pet plant, Trevor.