"The Wonderful World of Charley Sparkle" is the story of two school friends, J.P. and Mark, who've found they have a lot in common. Each of them has a very special kitten at home-and their kitten often mysteriously disappears for days at a time. It's not until a pet parade is held in their classroom that J.P. begins to realize his kitten, Sparkle, is possibly leading a double life. When he attempts to solve this mystery, he makes a shocking discovery. How does he solve this problem? And what will it mean for his friendship with Mark? An early chapter book, "The Wonderful World of Charley Sparkle" will be of interest to early-grade teachers, counselors, or librarians who wish to use literature to introduce their students to real-life, problem-solving situations-or to young readers who simply enjoy a story about other children and their pets. "The Wonderful World of Charley Sparkle" was completed as a tribute to the illustrator, Connie Sherman, the granddaughter of author Judy Barnhart. Sherman wanted to illustrate a book for her grandmother, but she lost her life in a traffic accident before this could be accomplished. Barnhart gathered some of the many pictures Sherman had sent to her and adapted them for Charley Sparkle.