Books by Chris Rylander
The Hurricanes of Weakerville
Middle grade star author Chris Rylander brings his signature sense of humor, a compelling and original baseball story, and tons of heart to the story of the Hurricanes of Weakerville.
All his life, Alex Weakerman has had one passion: baseball. Specifically, the Hurricanes of Weakerville, Iowa—the scrappy independent-league team owned by his Grandpa Ira.
Even as team and the town have fallen on tough times, there's no place Alex would rather be than at the ballpark—a hot dog in one hand, a pencil and scorebook in the other, keeping track of each and every statistic. Alex has never been all that great at playing baseball, but that doesn’t matter. For someone as painfully awkward as Alex, being a fan—and a wiz with baseball stats—is all he needs.
When Grandpa Ira passes away, though, Alex is crushed. He's lost his best friend, and he doesn’t see any way that the team will survive. But Ira, it seems, has one last trick up his sleeve: his will names Alex the new manager of the Hurricanes.
Alex is as excited as he is terrified at the chance to finally put some of his fantasy baseball genius to use. But as he sets to work trying to win over the players, he soon learns that leading them to victory is about more than just stats. Will he be able to save his team, his hometown, and his family legacy?
From the author of The Fourth Stall, a SCBWI Sid Fleischman Humor Award winner and multiple state-award favorite, The Hurricanes of Weakerville is sure to appeal to middle grade readers looking for a funny book about real kids.
Copies
No copies available.
Guys Read: The Sports Pages (Guys Read, 3)
by Joseph Bruchac, Dan Gutman, Gordon Korman, Jon Scieszka, Jacqueline Woodson, Tim Green, Anne Ursu, Chris Rylander
The Sports Pages, the third volume in Jon Scieszka's Guys Read Library of Great Reading, features ten short stories guaranteed to put you in the ring, under the basket, and right behind home plate.
From fiction to nonfiction, from baseball to mixed martial arts and everything in between, these are a collection of stories about the rush of victory and the crush of defeat on and off the field.
Authors include Dustin Brown, James Brown, Joseph Bruchac, Chris Crutcher, Tim Green, Dan Gutman, Gordon Korman, Chris Rylander, Anne Ursu, and Jacqueline Woodson, with illustrations by Dan Santat.
Copies
No copies available.
Guys Read: The Sports Pages (Guys Read, 3)
by Joseph Bruchac, Dan Gutman, Gordon Korman, Jon Scieszka, Jacqueline Woodson, Tim Green, Anne Ursu, Chris Rylander
The Sports Pages, the third volume in Jon Scieszka's Guys Read Library of Great Reading, features ten short stories guaranteed to put you in the ring, under the basket, and right behind home plate.
From fiction to nonfiction, from baseball to mixed martial arts and everything in between, these are a collection of stories about the rush of victory and the crush of defeat on and off the field.
Authors include Dustin Brown, James Brown, Joseph Bruchac, Chris Crutcher, Tim Green, Dan Gutman, Gordon Korman, Chris Rylander, Anne Ursu, and Jacqueline Woodson, with illustrations by Dan Santat.
Copies
No copies available.
The Fourth Stall (Fourth Stall, 1)
The humor of Diary of a Wimpy Kid meets a Godfather-like tale of crime and betrayal in this first book in Chris Rylander's The Fourth Stall Saga.
Do you need something? Mac can get it for you. He and his best friend and business manager, Vince. Their methods might sometimes run afoul of the law, or at least the school code of conduct, but if you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can pay him, Mac is on your side. His office is located in the East Wing boy's bathroom, fourth stall from the high window. And business is booming. Or at least it was, until this particular Monday. Because this Monday is when Mac and Vince find out that the trouble with solving everyone else's problems is there's no one left to solve yours.
The school setting; fast-paced, cinematic, and funny story; and engaging voice make The Fourth Stall a perfect classroom read.
Supports the Common Core State Standards
Copies
No copies available.
The Curse of Greg (An Epic Series of Failures)
Magic and mayhem collide in this monstrously funny middle-grade sequel to Chris Rylander's The Legend of Greg
Greg Belmont longs for the days when he thought he was an ordinary thirteen-year-old, before he learned he's really a fantastical Dwarf in a world where the return of magic has reignited an ancient feud between the Dwarves and the Elves. But now that magic is spreading rapidly, calling forth mythical monsters that are wreaking total havoc on earth, he knows things will never go back to normal.
To make matters worse, rumors are growing that the Elves are planning a sinister attack--and their new leader might be none other than Greg's former best friend, Edwin. Before they can say "Galdervatn," Greg and his Dwarven friends find themselves up against perilous dangers that their training has barely prepared them for. Can Greg and his bloodthirsty talking ax keep them out of harm's way long enough to prevent all-out war? Or will epic failure find him yet again in this hilarious, action-packed sequel to The Legend of Greg?
Copies
No copies available.
The Legend of Greg (An Epic Series of Failures)
A boy discovers his destiny could totally stink in this riotously funny fantasy-adventure
Risk-averse Greg Belmont is content with being ordinary. He's got a friend--that's right, just one--at his fancy prep school, and a pretty cool dad (even if he is obsessed with organic soaps that smell like a mix of salted pork and Icelandic bog). The problem is, Greg isn't ordinary . . . he's actually an honest-to-goodness, fantastical Dwarf!
He discovers the truth the day his dad brings home a gross new tea--one that awakens bizarre abilities in Greg. Then a murderous Bro-Troll kidnaps his dad and Greg is whisked away to the Underground, where Dwarves have lived for centuries right beneath the streets of Chicago.
With the help of some awesome new friends and a talking ax, Greg learns all about the history of the Dwarves, which has been marked with tales of epic failure since the dawn of time. However, the return of the magic they once wielded means big changes are afoot, escalating tensions with the Dwarves' sworn enemy: the Elves.
Brimming with humor and action, Chris Rylander's The Legend of Greg turns dwarf lore on its head, delivering an adventure readers won't be able to resist.
Copies
No copies available.
The Legend of Greg (An Epic Series of Failures)
A boy discovers his destiny could totally stink in the first book in this riotously funny middle-grade fantasy-adventure trilogy.
Risk-averse Greg Belmont is content with being ordinary. He's got a friend--that's right, just one--at his fancy prep school, and a pretty cool dad. The problem is, Greg isn't ordinary . . . he's actually an honest-to-goodness, fantastical Dwarf!
He discovers the truth the day his dad brings home a gross new tea--one that awakens bizarre abilities in Greg. Then a murderous Bro-Troll kidnaps his dad and Greg is whisked away to the Underground, where Dwarves have lived for centuries right beneath the streets of Chicago.
With the help of some awesome new friends and a talking ax, Greg learns all about the history of the Dwarves, which has been marked with tales of epic failure since the dawn of time. However, the return of the magic they once wielded means big changes are afoot, escalating tensions with the Dwarves' sworn enemy: the Elves.
Brimming with humor and action, Chris Rylander's The Legend of Greg turns dwarf lore on its head, delivering an adventure readers won't be able to resist.
Copies
No copies available.
The Rise of Greg (An Epic Series of Failures)
Magic and mayhem collide in the final book in the monstrously funny middle-grade trilogy An Epic Series of Failures.
The Dawn of Magic has arrived, and thirteen-year-old Greg Belmont and his friends have only a few weeks left to figure out how to keep the modern world from falling into utter chaos. Greg's former best friend (and current archenemy), Edwin, and his Elven army believe the only way to save the life on earth is to steal the world's magic supply and keep it only for the Elves. But Greg knows Edwin must be stopped.
He and his friends will journey from the ancient forests of Russia to the bottom of the San Francisco Bay--battling plenty of fierce creatures and gaining some surprising new allies along the way--and back to the streets of Chicago for the final battle for the fate of magic on earth. Will Greg and his friends save the world? Or will epic failure strike again when it matters most?
Copies
No copies available.
The Curse of Greg
Magic and mayhem collide in this monstrously funny middle-grade sequel to Chris Rylander's The Legend of Greg. Now in paperback.
Greg Belmont longs for the days when he thought he was an ordinary thirteen-year-old, before he learned he's really a fantastical Dwarf in a world where the return of magic has reignited an ancient feud between the Dwarves and the Elves. But now that magic is spreading rapidly, calling forth mythical monsters that are wreaking total havoc on earth, he knows things will never go back to normal.
To make matters worse, rumors are growing that the Elves are planning a sinister attack--and their new leader might be none other than Greg's former best friend, Edwin. Before they can say "Galdervatn," Greg and his Dwarven friends find themselves up against perilous dangers that their training has barely prepared them for. Can Greg and his bloodthirsty talking ax keep them out of harm's way long enough to prevent all-out war? Or will epic failure find him yet again in this hilarious, action-packed sequel to The Legend of Greg?
Copies
No copies available.
House of Secrets: Clash of the Worlds (House of Secrets, 3)
by Ned Vizzini, Chris Rylander, Chris Columbus
The final book in the New York Times bestselling House of Secrets series that was called “a breakneck, jam-packed roller coaster of an adventure” by J. K. Rowling. Created by Hollywood director Chris Columbus (of Harry Potter fame) and bestselling author Ned Vizzini (It’s Kind of a Funny Story), with the acclaimed author of the Codename Zero series and the Fourth Stall saga, Chris Rylander.
With their last adventure just barely over, the Walker kids thought life would finally go back to normal. But things don’t remain calm for long . . . especially when the colossus Fat Jagger turns up in San Francisco Bay—and he’s in danger!
With the police closing in, the Walkers must figure out how to save their giant friend. When a frost beast is spotted in Santa Rosa—and more mystical creatures start appearing all over America—it’s soon clear that the characters from Denver Kristoff’s works are invading the real world. It’s up to Brendan, Eleanor, and Cordelia to reenter the book world one last time to keep the worlds from colliding, causing mass destruction.
They will have to track down three Worldkeepers hidden in Kristoff’s books—magical items that when used together will seal the worlds off for good. But the Walkers’ first move leads them straight into the Wild West, with lethal outlaws and lawless deputies—and that’s just the beginning. They’ll encounter dinosaurs, aliens, killer robots, and the Wind Witch herself—with new friends and old—and be faced with some of the deadliest choices they’ll ever have to make. The scariest thing of all could be deciding who to trust, since everyone is hiding something. . . .
Copies
No copies available.
House of Secrets: Clash of the Worlds (House of Secrets, 3)
by Ned Vizzini, Chris Rylander, Chris Columbus
The final book in the New York Times bestselling House of Secrets series that was called “a breakneck, jam-packed roller coaster of an adventure” by J. K. Rowling. Created by Hollywood director Chris Columbus (of Harry Potter fame) and bestselling author Ned Vizzini (It’s Kind of a Funny Story), with the acclaimed author of the Codename Zero series and the Fourth Stall saga, Chris Rylander.
With their last adventure just barely over, the Walker kids thought life would finally go back to normal. But things don’t remain calm for long . . . especially when the colossus Fat Jagger turns up in San Francisco Bay—and he’s in danger!
With the police closing in, the Walkers must figure out how to save their giant friend. When a frost beast is spotted in Santa Rosa—and more mystical creatures start appearing all over America—it’s soon clear that the characters from Denver Kristoff’s works are invading the real world. It’s up to Brendan, Eleanor, and Cordelia to reenter the book world one last time to keep the worlds from colliding, causing mass destruction.
They will have to track down three Worldkeepers hidden in Kristoff’s books—magical items that when used together will seal the worlds off for good. But the Walkers’ first move leads them straight into the Wild West, with lethal outlaws and lawless deputies—and that’s just the beginning. They’ll encounter dinosaurs, aliens, killer robots, and the Wind Witch herself—with new friends and old—and be faced with some of the deadliest choices they’ll ever have to make. The scariest thing of all could be deciding who to trust, since everyone is hiding something. . . .
Copies
No copies available.