THE BOOKS

I'm glad you could join me for an adventure into the world of Melinda Long.
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Sit back and get ready to have a great time! Click on any link to find out more.

Art Smart, Science Detective

The Case of the Sliding Spaceship

Melinda Long

Illustrated by Monica Wyrick

ISBN 978-1-61117-935-4

ISBN 978-1-61117-936-1

When Art and his friends—Robbie, Jason, and Amy—have a sleepover, they decide to use Art’s telescope for some stargazing. They are shocked to see a purple spaceship hurtling toward Earth. Art thinks Earth is at risk of an alien invasion. What should he do? Should Art and his fellow science detectives alert the authorities, or should they take matters into their own hands?

When the local police don’t seem concerned about Art’s report, the group decides to apply their knowledge of science and critical thinking skills to prepare for the impending attack. They need a plan—and fast!

What transpires as they gear up for the spaceship’s arrival will amuse and educate. Art Smart, Science Detective will appeal to budding scientists and even reluctant young readers as it answers burning questions such as “How close is science fiction to real life?” and “Can peanut butter really keep your brain safe from an alien assault?” This entertaining journey through the science of the sky is easily incorporated into middle-grade STEM/STEAM courses.

HOW I BECAME A PIRATE

by Melinda Long,  Illustrated by David Shannon

ISBN-13/ EAN: 9780152018481
ISBN-10: 0152018484

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Pirates have green teeth—when they have any teeth at all. I know about pirates, because one day, when I was at the beach building a sand castle and minding my own business, a pirate ship sailed into view.

So proclaims Jeremy Jacob, a boy who joins Captain Braid Beard and his crew in this witty look at the finer points of pirate life by the Caldecott Honor–winning illustrator David Shannon and the storyteller Melinda Long. Jeremy learns how to say “scurvy dog,” sing sea chanteys, and throw food . . . but he also learns that there are no books or good night kisses on board: “Pirates don’t tuck.” A swashbuckling adventure with fantastically silly, richly textured illustrations that suit the story to a T.

Pirates Don't Change Diapers

by Melinda Long,  Illustrated by David Shannon

ISBN-13/ EAN: 9780152053536
ISBN-10: 0152053530

When the pirate crew turns up at Jeremy Jacob's house and accidentally wakes his baby sister, that wee scallywag howls louder than a storm on the high seas. Sure, there's buried treasure to be found, but nobody's digging up anything until Bonney Anne quits her caterwauling. So, quicker than you can say "scurvy dog," Braid Beard and his swashbuckling pirates become . . . babysitters? Blimey! - 

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PIRATES ACTIVITY BOOK

by Melinda Long, Illustrated by David Shannon

ISBN-13/ EAN: 9780547314907
ISBN-10: 0547314906

A heave-ho, high-seas adventure and activity book inspired by the bestselling picture books How I Became a Pirate and Pirates Don't Change Diapers written by Melinda Long and illustrated David Shannon.

This 36-page, full-color activity book includes:

• Temporary pirate tattoos

• Instructions to make a pirate hat, pirate eye patch, and treasure chest

• Puzzles, songs and coloring pages

• “Talk like a pirate” glossary

• Instructions and press-out cards for “Cannonball!” card game

…everything you need to become a pirate yourself!

The Twelve Days of Christmas in South Carolina

Melinda Long, illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss

ISBN: 1-4027-6672-6

ISBN13: 9781402766725

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Rainbow-painted houses, yummy shrimp stew, war heroes, prowling pirates, kudzu monsters, leaping dolphins…and a wren in a palmetto tree: that's a South Carolina Christmas, and Laura is experiencing it all for the first time! Kids will love exploring this magical southern state with her. 

The Twelve Days of Christmas in South Carolina Board Book

Melinda Long, illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss

• ISBN-10: 1454920580

• ISBN-13: 978-1454920588

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Rainbow-painted houses, yummy shrimp stew, war heroes, prowling pirates, kudzu monsters, leaping dolphins . . . and a wren in a palmetto tree: that's a South Carolina Christmas! Kids will love exploring this magical southern state in this new board book edition.

WHEN PAPA SNORES

by Melinda Long  (Author), Holly Meade (Illustrator)

• ISBN-10: 0689819439

• ISBN-13: 978-0689819438

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SNOOOOGA...SNOOOOGA...SNOOMERRGHA...ERRGHA...ARGHHTrying to get some shut-eye is no easy task when the lamp is rattling, the dishes are clattering, and shoes are tumbling down the stairs.Who is making all that racket?It's Papa and Nana, fast asleep, snoring to beat the band. So much noise! But Papa and Nana aren't the noisiest nappers in the house....Can you guess who is?Simon and Schuster.

Currently out of print. Occasionally available through Ebay or Amazon.

Hiccup Snickup

by Melinda Long  (Author), Thor Wickstrom (Illustrator)

• ISBN-10: 0689822456

• ISBN-13: 978-0689822452

How do you cure the hiccups? Do you drink water from the wrong side of the glass? Do you hold your breath while eating an apple, or do you put a paper bag over your head and stand upside down? What if nothing you do seems to work and the hiccups have gotten completely out of control?

Hiccup Snickup is the story of one little girl's quest to cure the hiccups. The whole family offers advice, with hilarious results. But it is only when Grandma explains an old family hiccup antidote, and the entire family works together, that those pesky hiccups finally go away -- or do they?

Madcap illustrations by Thor Wickstrom perfectly complement this rollicking tale, making it just right for reading aloud.

Hiccup Snickup
Simon and Schuster.
Currently out of print. Occasionally available through Ebay or Amazon.

Literary Dogs & Their South Carolina Writers Paperback – November 1, 2012

by Edited by John Lane and Betsy Wakefield Teter

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Why do writers love dogs? Not always for the same reasons as all the rest of us do. Dorothea Benton Frank's dog Henry teaches her about self-righteous indignation every time she leaves on a book tour. Ron Rash learns to appreciate his misanthropic mutt Pepper after he bites his daughter's suitor. For Tommy Hays the dog is something not even a psychic can separate from the family. For some writers, such as Mary Alice Monroe, a Bermese mountain dog arrives via Swiss Air. For George Singleton, they just wander into his yard.

The connection between dogs and humans in the geographic region known as South Carolina goes back over 10,000 years. There's even a wild dog in the Lowcountry known as the Carolina dog, whose ancestors may have accompanied the first Americans across the Bering ice bridge.

In Literary Dogs & Their South Carolina Writers, 25 of the Palmetto State's most beloved authors introduce you to their most memorable dogs. 

State of the Heart
South Carolina Writers on the Places They Love, Volume 3

Edited by Aïda Rogers
Foreword by Nikky Finney
Afterword by Cassandra King

ISBN 978-1-61117-902-6
ISBN 978-1-61117-903-3
ISBN 978-1-61117-904-0

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A heartfelt collection of personal stories that connect a common past and offer hope for a promising future

For many, South Carolina is a sunny vacation destination. For those who have been lucky enough to call it home, it is a source of rich memories and cultural heritage. In this final volume of State of the Heart, thirtyeight nationally and regionally known writers share their personal stories about places in South Carolina that hold special meaning for them. While this is a book about place, it is ultimately about people's connections to one another, to a complex, common past, and to ongoing efforts to build a future of promise and possibility in the Palmetto State.