Gerri waits outside all night to audition for Big Time, her favorite TV singing competition. She believes she has a shot at success, but when she’s insulted by one of the judges and kicked out of the competition, she thinks she’ll probably never sing again. After a teacher at her school asks her to join a choral club, Gerri reluctantly gets involved. Even though she can’t read music and she doesn’t know the other kids, she finds herself enjoying the group and learning a lot about music. A cute guy she met at the Big Time auditions joins the group, and when they perform their unique mashups at an open-mic night, Gerri realizes there’s more than one way to be a successful—and happy—singer!
Moving between science and culture, After Life: Ways We Think About Death takes a straightforward look at these and other questions long taboo in our society. By showing the fascinating, diverse ways in which we understand death, both today and throughout our history, the book also shines a light on what it is to be human. Each chapter includes a brief telling of a death legend, myth or history from a different culture or tradition, from Adam and Eve to Wolf and Coyote, and ends with a section on a common theme in our thinking about death, such as rivers and birds in the afterlife, the colors that different cultures use to symbolize death, and, of course, ghosts. The final chapter is about grief, which is both a universal human experience and unique to each person. The text offers suggestions for ways to think about our grief, when to ask for help and how to talk to friends who are grieving.
Better Together explores how people gather in groups of all kinds to fulfill the basic human need for companionship. From the smallest units of parents, siblings and friends to global organizations that try to build on a foundation of common human experience to meet their goals, people working together are a powerful force for change. Too often, we look at someone and see all the ways we are different. People all around the world come together to build things, teach and entertain each other, and provide everything from better health care to good food to security and education. Better Together examines the many ways we are the same, no matter where we live.
On the last day of high school, Sophie's boyfriend breaks up with her. It turns out he thinks she is too predictable, too responsible, too mature...too boring. When Sophie turns to her best friend, Ella, for comfort and reassurance, Ella just confirms what her boyfriend has said. And that hurts even more. Then Ella comes up with a plan to help Sophie find her wilder side. In the 90 days between the end of high school and the start of university, she is going to arrange for Sophie to do amazing, new, different and sometimes scary things. The deal is Sophie has to agree to everything, no matter what. And she has to share her adventures through social media. Can 90 days of different create a different life? Can stepping outside your comfort zone help you find yourself?
Fair trade is not about spending more money or buying more stuff. It's about helping producers in developing countries get a fair price for their goods. A Fair Deal: Shopping for Social Justice provides a history of trade, explaining what makes trade systems unfair and what we can do about it. By examining the ways in which our global trade systems value some people over others, the book illustrates areas in which fair trade practices can help families all around the world and suggests ways to get involved in making the world a more equitable place.
Wes and Meg love nothing more than following leads and reporting for their school newspaper. When they stumble upon a mysterious 20-year-old theft, these teens are on the case. Can they uncover the clues before the thief gets too close?
Joe is having trouble with bullies at his new school, and he doesn't know where to turn for help. Soon he finds a companion in the most unlikely form. But is this the friend he has been hoping for or something more sinister?
Life Scan is something that Royal Adam has always dreamed of. It's thrilling when Royal receives one as a 16th birthday present. After all, who wouldn't want to know their future? But what happens when the future isn't all it's expected to be? Will Royal risk everything to change it?
Zoey’s dream of winning a national title with her dance team is crushed when her mom shares that they will be moving to another state. Once at her new school, Zoey feels like she doesn’t fit in. Will she be able to take a chance on herself and find a new dream?
Tia is stuck at home babysitting when all she really wants is to go to a party. She settles in for a boring night at home, but tensions rise when a storm picks up and the lights go out. When strange events start to occur, Tia realizes her evening may become much different than what she expected.
Kenny dreams of traveling, but virtual reality is as close as he'll ever get to discovering new worlds. Or is it? When Kenny is offered a time-traveling trip on the black market, it is everything he ever wanted and more. But making his dream come true comes at a steep price. Is he willing to pay it?
Davit and Aram are having a rough time. They're both struggling with their dad's death, and then car trouble strands them near the woods. When a mysterious woman offers to help, the boys find themselves in a situation neither of them could have ever imagined.
In the year 2329, the Green Death has wiped out most of the human race. Those in the Domed City try to control any survivors. Rex and Lena are among the few who are immune to the disease. The twins long to live on their own terms. But what will they do when something from their past causes them to question everything they've known?
On planet Zera, Andon's dream is to work for the Space Center, just like his parents. He is convinced that something is destroying planets, and he wants to find out what it is. When Andon's family travels to Earth, the journey puts them in more danger than they can imagine. Can Andon discover the true danger lurking? Or will it be too late for Earth and the people of Zera?
Through narrative nonfiction text, readers learn about the history and daring missions of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first black pilots to fly for the U.S. military. Additional features to aid comprehension include a table of contents, primary-source quote sidebars, fact-filled captions and callouts, a glossary, an introduction to the author, and a listing of source notes.
Through narrative nonfiction text, readers learn about numerous roles of women during the war, including as spies, army nurses, factory workers, and pilots. Additional features to aid comprehension include a table of contents, primary-source quote sidebars, fact-filled captions and callouts, a glossary, an introduction to the author, and a listing of source notes.
Through narrative nonfiction text, readers learn about the experiences of prisoners and liberators at Buchenwald, the first Nazi concentration camp freed by the U.S. Army. Additional features to aid comprehension include a table of contents, primary-source quote sidebars, fact-filled captions and callouts, a glossary, an introduction to the author, and a listing of source notes.
Through narrative nonfiction text, readers learn about the men who used the Navajo language to create a successful, top-secret code that was never cracked by enemy forces. Additional features to aid comprehension include a table of contents, primary-source quote sidebars, fact-filled captions and callouts, a glossary, an introduction to the author, and a listing of source notes.
Through narrative nonfiction text, readers learn about the experiences of Japanese Americans in internment camps during World War II, including their work, family life, and efforts to combat prejudice. Additional features to aid comprehension include a table of contents, primary-source quote sidebars, fact-filled captions and callouts, a glossary, an introduction to the author, and a listing of source notes.
Through narrative nonfiction text, readers learn about the attack on Pearl Harbor through the eyes of U.S. Navy service members, Japanese military officers, political leaders, and everyday Americans. Additional features to aid comprehension include a table of contents, primary-source quote sidebars, fact-filled captions and callouts, a glossary, an introduction to the author, and a listing of source notes.
Through narrative nonfiction text, readers learn about the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki through the perspectives of American and Japanese leaders, scientists, U.S. Army officials, and Japanese citizens. Additional features to aid comprehension include a table of contents, primary-source quote sidebars, fact-filled captions and callouts, a glossary, an introduction to the author, and a listing of source notes.
Through narrative nonfiction text, readers learn about the Allied invasion of Normandy, including plans for the attack, dramatic triumphs, and unexpected challenges. Additional features to aid comprehension include a table of contents, primary-source quote sidebars, fact-filled captions and callouts, a glossary, an introduction to the author, and a listing of source notes.
This book provides the history of biofuels, different uses, positive and negative characteristics, and how they will impact the future.
This book explains what going green means, what eco-friendly energy is, and how readers can make a difference.
Explore the lives of Native Americans past and present.
