PATRICIA REILLY GIFF is the author of many beloved books for children, including the Kids of the Polk Street School books. Her novels for older readers include the Newbery Honor books Lily's Crossing and Pictures of Hollis Woods, and Willow Run, a companion to Lily's Crossing. Her most recent books are the novels R My Name Is Rachel, Storyteller, and Wild Girl, and the Zigzag titles, Number One Kid, Big Whopper, Flying Feet, and Star Time.

Charlie has lots of ideas. Need something to go sky high? Ah-ha! The zinger-winger! Need to launch a cheese popper into soup? The amazing popper-upper! But the zinger-winger zings more than wings and the popper-upper plops. Charlie isn't allowed to invent for a week. Meanwhile, the afterschool invention fair is coming up. He needs time to make something special. Good thing he has his friends and Mr. Redfern, another inventor, to help him out.