When her teacher assigns a report on animals, Ellie is stumped about what kind she wants to research. Then a neighbor goes on vacation and asks Ellie to pet-sit for her parrot, Alix. Perfect--exotic bird it will be! Unfortunately, Alix flies the coop - literally. But when Ellie can't lure him back on her own, it will take clever teamwork from a librarian, a zookeeper, some good friends and Ellie's own pet-obsessed family to save the day.
Poor Ellie. When her best friend, Mo, suggests they try out for football together, Ellie isn't convinced she's the athletic type. And sure enough, Ellie can't seem to get her head (or her feet) around the game, even with her dad's help. The truth is, Ellie would much rather be doing brain-bending puzzles with her school's Journey of the Mind club. But when both teams have a tournament on the same day, the race is on to see whether Ellie can be in two places at once and help her teammates bring home a win - on and off the field!
Moving to a new house? Bad. Being the new kid? Worse. Ellie's family is moving to a new town, and Ellie is sure she won't fit in at school. The other kids play 'new kid bingo' behind her back, and even the teachers can't seem to remember her name. But when her new classmates start complaining about long lunch lines (and bad food), Ellie jumps at the chance to lead a protest. And tackling the school canteen just might be the perfect way to make new friends!