Nikki And Deja: Birthday BluesThe second book about Nikki and Deja, two African American third grade girls who are best friends. Dejas birthday is coming up, and shes been talking about it for weeks. But just before the big day, Auntie Dee gets called away on a business trip and Deja must stay with an elderly neighbor . . . who cooks turnips for dinner and doesnt even have a color TV! Worse, the machinations of spoiled Antonia, Dejas new nemesis, threaten to ruin Dejas birthday

human nature

salty pecorino and creamy paneer

including Navy SEALs

Each story in these books is a treasure trove of laughter and wisdom

But Birdie does have friends

Kiyoshi and company finally break out of prison and are hard at work enjoying their peaceful school lives

And when an over-zealous Leonard Fink takes matters into his own hands

The hero of 56 short stories and four novels

it taught leaders from the neck up

was privy to every aspect of the plan

and determined to revenge the death of his wife at the hands of the same men

the little boy