Callie Barkley – författare

Introducing The Critter Club! Amy and her friends solve a canine caper in this start to a pet-friendly illustrated chapter book series.It’s Spring Break in Santa Vista, and everyone has big plans...everyone except for Amy, that is! As her best friends head out of town on exciting adventures, Amy resigns herself to helping out at her mom’s vet clinic. At least she’ll be around cute animals! But when Santa Vista’s cold and elusive millionaire, Marge Sullivan, brings her puppy Rufus for a check-up, Amy encounters an unexpected mystery. After her friends return home, the girls get to the bottom of what happened to Rufus—and discover a way to help other lost and lonely animals in their town. With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Critter Club chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.

The Critter Club has baby bunnies to care for—but is Ellie too busy aiming for showstopper status to help out her friends?The Critter Club is up and running, and so are the girls—especially Ellie! She’s wanted to perform her entire life, so when she lands the lead role in Santa Vista Elementary School’s Spring Spectacular, it’s her big chance to show her stuff! But as Ellie’s big performance draws near, will she let the play and her determination to succeed get in the way of being a good friend? What about caring for the baby rabbits that were just brought to The Critter Club? Some very helpful advice from an unexpected source reminds Ellie that being a good friend is just as important as doing what you love. With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Critter Club chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.

Liz is excited for a fun summer with The Critter Club, but will summer school ruin her plans?It’s almost time for summer vacation, and Liz is looking forward to sleeping in, taking an art class, and spending plenty of time with her friends at The Critter Club! Between fun summer plans and busy petsitting schedules, the girls are going to have their hands full. But on the last day of school, Liz gets the unexpected news that her math grades aren’t where they need to be. Though she’s not thrilled to be stuck in summer school, Liz works hard—and learns a lesson even more important than fractions. With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Critter Club chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.

When an injury slows her down, Marion counts on The Critter Club to help her realize what’s most important.From violin lessons to training for an upcoming horse competition, Marion is scheduled to the max. Even though she always makes time for her duties at The Critter Club, she is beginning to feel overwhelmed. But when an accident forces Marion to slow down, Marion relies on her friends (the two- and four-legged ones) to cheer her up! As Marion’s ankle heals, she discovers a new talent—and realizes that winning isn’t everything. With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Critter Club chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.

Amy is excited to meet her new stepsister Chloe…but it turns out Chloe doesn’t feel the same way! Can Amy and Chloe get along?Amy’s mom and dad have been divorced for as long as Amy can remember, but nothing prepares Amy for the news she gets on a weekend visit to her dad’s house in Orange Blossom: Amy’s dad is remarrying! In addition to getting a stepmother, Amy will also be getting a stepsister her age named Chloe. As the girls spend more time together, Amy realizes that Chloe isn’t as nice as she appears to be in front of the grown-ups. Chloe plays pranks on Amy and is just downright mean to her. Amy worries that she’ll be stuck with this stinky stepsister for life. Will she and Chloe ever be friends? With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Critter Club chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.

It’s Valentine’s Day, and The Critter Club is singing telegrams for charity—but will Ellie receive some of the love she is giving?Valentine’s Day is coming up, and to raise money for a charity called Puppy Love, Ellie suggests that she and The Critter Club girls sell singing telegrams. The girls have a lot of fun writing and performing the songs, but all the holiday spirit makes Ellie wish someone would send her a singing telegram! Will Ellie get her wish? With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Critter Club chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.

The Critter Club is going camping—but are they really ready for a weekend in the wilderness?When Liz invites the Critter Club girls to her house at Marigold Lake for the weekend, they are really excited for their camping adventure—especially because Marigold Lake is known for having lots of wildlife! While the girls are there, they plan to do stuff like swim and canoe in the lake, go on a nature walk, and camp out. But with every activity, something seems to go horribly wrong. Amy accidentally tips over the canoe when the girls are out on the lake; Ellie gets spooked by what she thinks is a snake on their walk; and Marion is not pleased about sleeping outside in a tent. Liz thinks her friends aren’t having fun, and she starts to feel awful. Will the great weekend she planned turn out to be a disaster? With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Critter Club chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.

Fashionista Marion enters a styling competition in the eighth book of the Critter Club series—but will she regret helping out one of her competitors?Marion is so excited. There’s an upcoming kids’ fashion show for charity, and the students at Santa Vista Elementary get to style an outfit for it! Since only one design from each grade will get picked for the show, Marion knows she has to win. So she’s surprised when a girl named Olivia asks her for some style advice. Marion agrees to help Olivia, and actually has fun doing it! But problems arise when Marion realizes that Olivia has designed the exact outfit Marion had planned to present to the judges. So Marion tells a little white lie in order to get her way. At first, she is excited to impress the judges, but soon, another feeling creeps up on her. Is it guilt? Will Marion tell Olivia what she did? And whose outfit will get picked for the fashion show? Plus, Marion deals with taking care of some frogs at The Critter Club! With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Critter Club chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.

Amy comes up with the perfect Christmas present for Ms. Sullivan in the ninth book of the Critter Club series.It’s holiday time in Santa Vista, and Amy is especially excited for Christmas. Her dad and soon-to-be stepmom and stepsister are visiting, plus, there are some adorable guinea pigs at the Critter Club. But amidst the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparations, Amy notices that Ms. Sullivan seems a little lonely. Though Ms. Sullivan assures Amy that she will have a lovely holiday with her dog Rufus, Amy begins to wonder if there’s something she can do to cheer up Ms. Sullivan. As Christmas Eve nears, the Critter Club girls still have not found families to adopt the guinea pigs. But then, in a Christmas miracle, each guinea pig gets a home. And come Christmas Day, Amy has devised a great plan to give Ms. Sullivan some cheer—and some company—on Christmas! With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Critter Club chapter books are perfect for beginning readers!

The Critter Club cares for a precocious pig that might just be giving Ellie good luck in the tenth book of the Critter Club series.When The Critter Club takes in an abandoned pig named Plum, the girls are really excited. They’ve never had a pig at the club before! They love learning how to take care of Plum. And they especially love watching Ms. Sullivan’s dog, Rufus, interact with the pig. But no one is happier about the club’s guest than Ellie. Soon after Plum arrives, Ellie starts having some unusually good luck. She does really well on a test for her least favorite subject; she aces an audition for a play at a local theater; and she wins a prize at school! Ellie is sure that Plum is bringing her good luck. So when the rest of the girls tell Ellie that they’ve found someone to adopt the pig, Ellie knows she should be excited...but she’s not. Will Ellie’s good luck turn bad once Plum leaves? With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Critter Club chapter books are perfect for beginning readers!

Liz deals with some unfriendly competition at the beach and tries to rescue a baby octopus in the eleventh book of The Critter Club series.Liz and her family are at the beach! Liz loves building sand sculptures, so when she sees a flyer for a sand castle competition, of course she enters. She thinks she’s found a new friend when she meets her neighbor Tommy, who is also competing, but Tommy’s not so nice. He teases Liz about the castle she’s building and he laughs when one of the pieces caves in. Then Liz’s castle gets ruined overnight! It’s the day of the contest judging, and Liz no longer has anything to enter. Did Tommy destroy Liz’s sand castle? Plus, Liz finds a baby octopus that needs help! Will she be able to get the octopus back in the ocean and swimming again?With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Critter Club chapter books are perfect for beginning readers!

Marion finally gets to babysit her little sister Gabby in the twelfth book of The Critter Club series!Marion has always wanted to babysit her sister—but her parents have said she is too young! When they finally ask Marion to watch Gabby during a party at their house, Marion can’t wait! But she quickly finds out that babysitting isn’t as easy as it looks. Gabby won’t listen to Marion at all. After getting upset about losing a board game, she makes a total mess and even draws on the table! When Marion gets called to the Critter Club to help out with a run-away cat, Gabby tags along and causes even more trouble! Maybe being a sister is better than being a sitter… With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Critter Club chapter books are perfect for beginning readers!

Amy and her friends care for some chickens and prepare for the Santa Vista Quiz Bowl in the thirteenth book of The Critter Club series!Amy has never liked being in the spotlight. When all of her friends decide to form a team for the Santa Vista Quiz Bowl, Amy isn’t so sure it’s a good idea. She knows she can answer the quiz questions…but can she do it in front of hundreds of people? Meanwhile, the Critter Club is caring for a few chickens that need a home. And as the day of the Quiz Bowl gets closer, Amy starts to feel a little bit chicken herself! Will she get over her stage fright and help her team win? With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Critter Club chapter books are perfect for beginning readers!

Ellie’s dream of being a flower girl comes true in the fourteenth book of The Critter Club series!When Ellie learns that her cousin is getting married, she’s really excited! She has always wanted to go to a wedding. But then she gets even better news when her cousin asks her to be a flower girl! Then the Critter Club gets the cutest guest Ellie has ever seen: a little French bulldog. Ellie works hard to find a home for the puppy, but she’s worried she won’t be able to. Suddenly she has an idea that will guarantee that the puppy lives happily ever after! With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Critter Club chapter books are perfect for beginning readers!