Search Results: 33 books from 1 publisher. Learn more

Robert Bateman: The Boy Who Painted Nature

Margriet Ruurs (author) Robert Bateman (illustrator)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459819948

Celebrated artist Robert Bateman is renowned internationally for bringing the natural ?world to life on the canvas. A naturalist and painter from his youth, Robert has for decades used his recognition to shed light on environmental issues and advocate for animal welfare. Robert Bateman: The Boy Who Painted Nature is the story of how a young child achieved his dream of painting the world around him and became one of Canada's most famous artists. Using Robert's own personal photographs, sketches and artwork, author Margriet Ruurs weaves a simple story of inspiration and encouragement. A story to motivate all the budding artists and naturalists in your life, with proceeds benefiting The Bateman Foundation.

Project Bollywood

Mahtab Narsimhan (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459832121

Salman loves Hindi movies and wants to produce a short Bollywood film for his school project. He gathers his friends when he's ready with the script, which is a mashup of all the movies he has ever seen. As director, Salman insists everyone follows the script exactly. But it's full of stereotypes and the cast and crew are not shy about expressing their concerns. Salman wants to remain true to the Bollywood model for his film but when his entire cast threatens to walk out, he has to decide whether to stand firm or find a way to collaborate.

Nova in New York

Katherine Richards (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459820302

Seventeen-year-old Nova Abbott grew up dancing barefoot in the backyard with her aunt Ivy, whose dreams of becoming a professional ballerina were cut short by cystic fibrosis. Nova is invited to attend a prestigious ballet school's summer intensive program. She is a bit overwhelmed by New York City. With a coveted apprenticeship up for grabs, Nova isn't sure she'll make it in the big leagues, and now she's not even sure she wants to.

Iggy's World

Gail Anderson-Dargatz (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459821408

Fourteen-year-old Iggy comes from a famous family. Well, sort of. His dad directs a cheesy sci-fi Web series, his mom writes for it, and his sister has a successful YouTube channel. Iggy doesn’t have the acting bug, so he feels like an outsider. Wanting to prove himself, Iggy starts his own podcast about what interests him: insects. But it’s not until Iggy embarrasses his famous sister on air that his podcast really takes off. He’s thrilled with his own success, until she fires back. Now it’s all-out war. Iggy’s World is an exploration of the age-old problem artists face: when we find inspiration from our real lives, what will our friends and family think? And, of course, just how much of our private lives do we really want to reveal online?

Hot New Thing

Laura Langston (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459804326

Lily is discovered by a big-name director when she’s auditioning for a role in a toothpaste commercial. He wants her for his new movie, which is great except for the fact that it’s shooting in Los Angeles and Lily lives in Vancouver. With the help of her Chinese grandmother, she convinces her parents to let her go to LA with her agent as a chaperone. But when she gets there, she finds out that if she wants to be more than the flavor of the week, she’s going to have to pay a price that may be way too high.

Honeycomb

Patricia McCowan (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459805804

When Nat, her best friend Jess and singing-star wannabe Harper sing together, their harmonies bring down the house. For Nat, the experience sparks a driving new desire to perform. But when the girls form a trio and enter a contest for a chance to play at the Tall Grass Music Festival, Nat finds that harmony - musical and otherwise - is hard to maintain. Her bandmates almost never agree, her new boyfriend starts behaving more like a non-boyfriend, and the trio’s famous-musician mentor doesn’t even like the way Nat breathes. Every day, Nat’s dream of performing at Tall Grass seems farther away, and she questions whether she has what it takes to get there.

Forcing the Ace

Erin Thomas (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459806467

Alex wants to enter the Silver Stage magic competition, but he needs a sponsor. Jack, a veteran card wizard, is willing to take on the role, but only if Alex agrees to team up with Zoe, another young magician - and Alex’s rival. Working with Jack and sharing the spotlight with Zoe, Alex comes to see that there are other ways to be a magician besides competing, and that magic is about entertaining people, not fooling them.

Getting the Brush Off

Mere Joyce (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459813595

Two years ago, sixteen-year-old Sydney Hart was kicked out of the prestigious Burke Academy when her mother could no longer afford the tuition. She lost a promising future in the arts, as well as her best friend, who didn't want to be seen with an art-academy reject. But now, without Burke's rigid structure, Sydney has found her true passion in performance painting and is busking on Halifax's boardwalk to earn enough money to go to art camp. After the police shut her down, Sydney learns her old school is hosting a "brush-off" speed-painting contest with a cash prize. Entering would mean facing her painful past, not to mention her former friend, who's also competing.

Who is Tanksy?

Bev Katz Rosenbaum (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459820869

Fourteen-year-old Tanya Kofsky is invisible. She hates that no one listens to her, at home or at her new school. So as student elections get underway, Tanya starts secretly painting controversial images on the walls of the school. Soon everyone is talking about this amazing artist with a lot to say. The election results turn out to be a catalyst for more rebellion. And not just from students. Teachers, tired of the principal's authoritarian leadership, start promoting self-expression. Even the lunch ladies join in, ignoring the strictly controlled menu and serving more nutritious and culturally diverse fare. But can this revolution effect real change? Or will speaking up lead to complete disaster?

Warm Up

Sara Leach (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459804296

Jasmine used to love dance. Now she struggles to hold on to that love as her dance team trains for a big competition. Her teammates are bickering, and when their teacher suggests that Jasmine might not have what it takes to be on the team, Jasmine is ready to quit. At a particularly rough practice, she channels her anger into her moves, surprising everyone, including herself, with how well she dances. But the team is still falling apart, and it’s up to Jasmine to figure out a way to get her teammates to work together and celebrate the joy of dance.

Dunces Rock

Kate Jaimet (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459805866

The Dunces—Josh, Magnolia, Wang and Wilmot—are back, and this time they’re going up against a formidable foe: Principal Hale, who has canceled their school’s drama and music program just when Wilmot needs it most. He has a guitar (given to him by a teen named Headcase), but no teacher and nowhere to practice (his dad hates rock ’n’ roll). The Dunces’ plan to convince Principal Hale to reinstate the program involves Josh’s reluctant participation in a hockey team, Magnolia’s enthusiastic role-playing and Wang’s disillusionment with a suspicious character named Hui Bing (aka Larry). But can the Dunces really rock, even when they rebrand themselves as Cousin Willy and the Wang Dang Doodles?

Cut the Lights

Karen Krossing (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459804142

Briar has a vision for the one-act play she's been chosen to direct at her performing arts high school. She's going to create a masterpiece. If only everyone involved in the production shared her vision. Her leading lady is gifted but troubled, her leading man has a crush on the leading lady, her stage manager doesn't have a clue, and her best friend, who wrote the play, is worried that Briar's production is cursed. As Briar struggles to motivate her cast and crew, she learns some important truths about the fine art of directing, and about herself.

Pop Quiz

Tom Ryan (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459812239

Fifteen-year-old Aiden is a minor cast member on a long-running high school "dramedy" with a low budget and a loyal following. Aiden and his friends are excited that they're being promoted to lead roles for the upcoming tenth season of Pop Quiz. But then they learn the show is being canceled. According to the producers, no one even watches TV anymore, with kids preferring the antics of YouTube stars. With the help of some former cast members and a group of hardcore fans, Aiden and his friends attempt to create a movie special to wrap up the storylines and give the series the send-off it deserves.

Breaking Big

Penny Draper (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459809246

Robin’s got everything it takes to be a principal dancer: the body, the feet, the strength and the passion. But his devil-may-care attitude plays havoc with discipline at the Premier Dance School. One more prank may be one too many. That’s why everyone is shocked when he’s the only student dancer picked to understudy with the company, even though the choice makes sense—Robin is cast as Puck, the annoying trickster fairy in A Midsummer’s Night Dream. Shock turns to horror when the principal dancer is injured and Robin has to perform instead. The other dancers don’t think he can pull it off, and even Robin wonders if it’s too much too soon. Will his big break kill his career before it even starts?

Pas de chevaux dans la maison!

Mireille Messier (author) Anna Bron (illustrator)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459836013

Cette histoire inspirante, qui raconte la vie incroyable de l’artiste pionnière, féministe et queer Rosa Bonheur, dépeint les premières années de Rosa et son acharnement à réaliser ses rêves. Rosa Bonheur adorait dessiner des animaux. Et elle y excellait ! Mais dans la France du XIXe siècle, les filles n’avaient pas le droit d’être artistes. Mais Rosa n’allait pas laisser cela l’arrêter. Dans cette belle mise en récit des débuts de Rosa à Paris, les jeunes lecteurs découvrent l’artiste qui étudie le dessin dans la maison paternelle en s’aidant d’une ménagerie d’animaux qu’elle observe de près. Lorsqu’un jour Rosa est chassée du marché des chevaux pour avoir porté des vêtements masculins, elle doit faire preuve de créativité pour contourner les règles et poursuivre son rêve de devenir une peintre réaliste de classe mondiale.

No Horses in the House!

Mireille Messier (author) Anna Bron (illustrator)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459833531

Rosa Bonheur loved to draw animals. She was good at it too! Unfortunately, in nineteenth-century France, girls were not allowed to be artists. But Rosa didn't let that stop her. In this fictionalized account of her early life in Paris, Rosa studies art at home, bringing a menagerie of animals into the apartment to study up close. When she is kicked out of the horse market for sneaking in wearing boys clothing, Rosa must think creatively to challenge the rules in pursuit of her dream of becoming a world-class realist painter and artist.

Big Time

Tom Ryan (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459804623

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!

Why Humans Build Up

Gregor Craigie (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459827172

People have been constructing tall buildings for thousands of years, for many different reasons. Castle walls kept people safe. Utility towers transmit TV and cell-phone signals. Observatories give people a bird’s-eye view of the world. Beautiful buildings stand out in the crowd. Skyscrapers provide housing for a lot of people. There are some good reasons for building up, and a few bad ones as well. With a growing global population, we will need more and more space to live, learn and work in. But what does that mean for the health of the planet? Can we do it sustainably? Tall buildings may be part of the answer.

Fashion Forward

Raina Delisle (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459825819

Fashion can be fun, but it can also hurt people, animals and the planet. Fashion Forward: Striving for Sustainable Style goes behind the glitz and glamour to explore the social and environmental issues within the fashion industry. It looks at the history of fashion, from why humans started wearing clothes to the birth of consumerism to the explosion of fast fashion and fashion’s footprint. The book introduces readers to the innovative people, companies and organizations that are taking positive action on fashion. Kids will discover how to make ethical choices and become fashion heroes for the future. There are easy ways we can help transform the fashion industry and still look stylish at the same time!

Charlotte Diamond's Animal Friends

Charlotte Diamond (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459828957

Award-winning singer and songwriter Charlotte Diamond brings you her very first picture-book song collection! This illustrated compilation of Charlotte’s most popular animal-themed songs will bring delight to readers young and old, many of whom have been dancing to Charlotte’s music for decades.

Stella Rising

Nancy Belgue (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459825635

Stella Connors has spent her whole life bouncing around from one town to the next, following the latest musician her mother has fallen in love with. She has always vowed she will never become a pathetic groupie like her mother, Viv. But then her best friend uploads a video of Stella singing a cover of her favorite band’s biggest hit. It goes viral, and suddenly Stella’s ideas about who she is and what she wants take a real hit. As a publicity stunt, the band’s manager asks Stella to perform with them when they come to town. Stella is thrilled and agrees immediately. Soon she finds herself in the spotlight, with everyone after her for interviews and photo ops. And unless she’s reading things wrong, she’s pretty sure the band’s lead singer has a thing for her. When she gets invited to go on the road with the band and perform in another concert, Stella forgets every bad thing she ever thought about being a groupie. After all, she’s nothing like her mother. She’s a star. Isn’t she?

Crossover

Jeff Rud (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781551439839

Fifteen-year-old Kyle Evans has been a jock for years—a triple threat basketball player who can dribble, pass or shoot with considerable skill. But once he decides to try out for the school musical production at Sainsbury High, Kyle finds there is much more to life than hightops and hookshots. Conflicting priorities cause problems between Kyle and his coaches, teachers, teammates and friends. And when his buddy Lukas becomes the target of homophobic hatred, Kyle is left with some difficult choices to make.

True Blue

Sigmund Brouwer, Cindy Morgan (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459815810

Elle is on the road as an opening act for Johnny James, the biggest star in country music. Touring is everything she's ever dreamed of, but it has unexpected downsides: crazy fans, jealous backup singers, weird rules on the tour bus. But when something goes terribly wrong during a performance, Elle struggles to figure out how she can make things right with her fans, her father, her record company and with her friend Webb. True Blue continues the story that began in Billboard Express.

Slip Jig Summer

Elizabeth J. M. Walker (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781459817449

Fifteen-year-old Natalie is obsessed with ballet and plans to spend the entire summer in dance class with her two best friends. But when her mom gets a job out of town, Natalie gets shipped off to stay with cousins she barely knows. Natalie is thrilled when her cousins invite her to join them at the local dance studio. But it turns out it's not a ballet class; it's Irish dance. Skeptical at first, Natalie is surprised to learn she really enjoys the new dance style and agrees to take part in an upcoming competition. But this new passion could result in Natalie having to leave her ballet dreams behind.

Queen of the Toilet Bowl

Frieda Wishinsky (author)

Publisher: Orca Book Publishers ISBN: 9781551437538

When Renata is chosen to play the lead role in the school musical, students who used to ignore her start saying hello and congratulating her in the hall. She is happy until it becomes evident that Karin, a wealthy girl who expected to get the lead role, will go to great lengths to ruin Renata's reputation.