With the help of her sister and friend Austin, 12-year-old Anya puts together a kids' summer theater troupe, the Random Farms Kids' Theater, recruiting area kids as actors and crew members for a musical revue. Acting as director, Anya navigates the ups and downs of a showbiz life, including preparing scripts, finding a venue, and handling ticket sales, not to mention calming the actors' insecurities and settling conflicts. It's a lot of responsibility for a 12-year-old but Anya pulls it off. Book 2 opens two days later. Now after a successful first show, Anya turns her attention to the troupe's second show. But trouble rears its head almost immediately when their beloved barn venue is jeopardized. How can they put on a production without a theater? Is the second show doomed before they ever start rehearsal? This series is closely based on the real-life experience of Anya Wallach, who began a summer theater "camp" in her parents' basement when she was just sixteen years old.
Naima is a talented painter of traditional alpana patterns, which Bangladeshi women and girls paint on their houses for special celebrations. But Naima is not satisfied just painting alpana. She wants to help earn money for her family, like her best friend, Saleem, does for his family. When Naima's rash effort to help puts her family deeper in debt, she draws on her resourceful nature and her talents to bravely save the day. Includes a glossary of Bangla words and an author's note about a changing Bangladesh and microfinance.
Ben Mason has always been the star player on East Grover Lake boys’ basketball team. But when a new transfer student takes away the spotlight, Ben is frustrated with his role on the team. After a visit from Sal, owner of Sal’s Used Sporting Goods, he learns about John Stockton, the NBA’s all-time assist leader. Will Ben learn the true meaning of leadership?
To prove she’s still the tech expert at Blue Lake Junior High, Bridget agrees to write a review of a secret cutting-edge tablet that her dad’s company is developing. When Bridget’s post goes viral, however, the secret’s out, and the trouble begins.
As the goalie for the girls’ hockey team, Annie Roger’s keen eyesight is crucial to snagging a speeding slap shot out of the air. On a visit to the eye doctor, she learns that she needs prescription glasses, and her confidence is shattered. But she then she receives a gift from Sal's Used Sporting Goods, a helmet once worn by Canadian double-gold medalist goalie Shannon Szabados. Will it help Annie see things differently?
Bridget and her friend Emma are surprised by the attention they receive at school after the launch of their e-zine, Cyber Hills Holler. So when a classmate starts up a competing site with edited photos of their classmates, they decide to fight back to retain their newfound popularity. Not everyone is happy with the results.
Max’s mom is alive and recovering. But the demons are still out there. And the Scarlet Portal will open soon. Can Max stop the demons and close the portal to save humanity? What will he have to sacrifice? Aligned to Common Core standards and correlated to state standards. Book 8 in the series.
Max is so close to finding his missing mom. Following a demon, he and Poe arrive back at the abandoned gas station. There, he finds more than he bargained for. And, how can Poe leave him at a time like this? Aligned to Common Core standards and correlated to state standards. Book 7 in the series.
Max’s mom is still missing. When Poe flies in with a clue, Max follows him to an abandoned gas station. What lurks in the shadows? More clues? Or more demons? Aligned to Common Core standards and correlated to state standards. Book 5 in the series
Old Mrs. Jenkins calls the police to report a strange creature she’s trapped. But Max is convinced she’s caught a demon. He and Poe arrive before the police, hoping to get information about Max’s missing mom. Will the demon reveal all, or just leave Max with more questions? Aligned to Common Core standards and correlated to state standards. Book 6 in the series
Ava works hard at maintaining a certain image online and at school. As far as anyone else knows, life is great. But when she inherits an African gray parrot from her great-uncle Bernie (whom she barely remembers), Ava’s carefully crafted world starts to crumble. The parrot, Mervin, is loud and messy and obnoxious. Ava’s brother thinks it’s hilarious to post videos of Ava trying to deal with the crazy bird. He even creates a profile for the two of them. Everyone wants to see more of Ava and Mervin. Suddenly, Ava is internet famous—in the worst possible way. Her friends think the parrot is gross and start acting weird. But then a new girl at school helps Ava see that this parrot might not be the worst gift in the world and that just being yourself is the best way to be.
Fourteen-year-old Dylan is sent to live with his estranged grandfather, Angus. Basically strangers, the two avoid each other as best they can. One day Dylan discovers a young orca stranded high up on the rocky beach. Dylan runs to tell his grandfather. There’s nothing that can be done, says Angus. The sun is coming up, and soon the orca will die of exposure. But Dylan knows he has to try to save the whale. He collects towels to cover the delicate skin of the orca and begins transporting buckets of water from the ocean below to keep it hydrated. It’s grueling work, and it will be hours before the tide comes back in and the water is high enough for the orca to swim free. Angus is moved by his grandson’s determination and helps as best he can. They both desperately hope that soon the orca will be able to join its family, who have been calling out to it just offshore.
Captain Space Cat and her trusty Robo-Dog face galactic trouble when Mars uses its Mega Magnet to try and steal Earth. Find out how they save the day . . . and Earth’s tuna!
Being a fairy isn’t as easy as you might think. We are not born with good fairy skills or fairy magic—we have to go to school to learn and practice them. I go to Rowan Tree School for Fairies (etc.)—it is the best school in Riverfalls Forest. It is where fairies, elves, pixies, sprites, goblins, and gnomes can learn about the magical powers of our forest plants, hone our skills in elf-shot, and win prizes for the tangliest, messiest fairy-locks. It is also where I have my best—and scariest—adventures!
New seventh-grade student Carson Roberts learns the hard way not to cross the school bully, and it's only her first day. Book #1 in the series.
When Cricket McKay and her best friend, Shilo, discover that a cougar has been seen in the town of Waterton, they are thrilled that school closes for a few days as a precaution. The townspeople are worried though. They want the cougar caught and relocated, which could be disastrous for the cougar. Cricket's dad, the national park's warden, is receiving reports of the cougar causing all kinds of trouble around town, but it's the type of trouble it doesn't make sense for a cougar to get into. Then Cricket and Shilo find evidence that another animal may be to blame. With the help of a visiting researcher who is in Waterton studying cougar behavior, Cricket and Shilo must convince the townspeople, and Cricket's dad, that they're after the the wrong animal before it’s too late. This is the fourth title featuring Cricket and her friends, following Bats in Trouble, Ospreys in Danger and Salamander Rescue.
Thirteen-year-old Chloë left her whole life back in Montreal, including her mom and her best friend. Now she's stuck in Victoria with her dad and her estranged grandfather, Uli, who recently had a stroke. When Chloë agrees to help Uli look after his garden, she's determined to find out why he and her dad didn't speak to each other for years. For decades Uli has collected seeds from people in the community, distinct varieties that have been handed down through generations. The result is a garden full of unusual and endangered produce, from pink broccoli to blue kale to purple potatoes. But Chloë learns that the garden will soon be destroyed to make way for a new apartment complex. And the seed collection is missing! Chloë must somehow find a way to save her grandfather's legacy.
The Koots are on the trail of a counterfeiter after Ben and Toby are questioned by Officer Gomez about passing a fake twenty-dollar bill.
Malcolm and Dandy have added a new gadget to their ghost hunting gear--XSpecs! These miraculous glasses are supposed to have Xray vision, but all they seem to do is hypnotize whoever looks at them. This comes in handy when the boys battle some vicious bubblegum that's snuck into their Halloween treats. But who's controlling the creeping confection? It'll take all of the ghost detecting tools to pop this case. Book 7 in the series.
Casey Finnegan is a talented skateboarder. He lives to skate. At the end of his final year of high school, Casey is wondering what to do with his life. He hasn't applied to any colleges, and other than skateboarding, he doesn't believe he's very good at much of anything. When a young movie star contacts Casey and offers him the job of stunt double in an upcoming skateboarding movie, Casey is stoked. It's his dream job, and Casey jumps at the opportunity to train the star. But when word gets out about Casey's new gig, a local skater has other ideas about who would make the best stunt double.
Sixteen-year-old Spencer loves his job at the local racing stable, but when he becomes convinced that someone is drugging the racehorse Lord of the Flies, no one believes him. In an effort to find out who is behind a dangerous race-fixing scheme, he takes on some of the most unsavory members of the track community. By refusing to turn a blind eye, Spencer risks losing those he cares most about, including Em, the stableowner's niece.
Jack Spencer has more to worry about than being kicked off his high school's basketball team. He uncovers suspicious circumstances surrounding the car crash that severely injured his mother and learns of his father's arrest for fraud. Jack's dad is tough on him, but he has learned to live with it. For the most part, he has it pretty good. Jack is a star player on his high school basketball team with everything going for him-scoring records, popularity and an easy path to a college scholarship. Almost as fast as the crash that put his mom in the hospital, everything Jack believes in starts to crumble. His only hope is to discover what's really going on, and quickly. If he doesn't, Jack may lose much more than a basketball career.
Ray Hockaday plays center for the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Western Hockey League. He's spent his hockey career hiding something from the world. When his new Russian room-mate shows up, Ray is assigned to help Vlad get used to life in Canada. What Ray doesn't know is that Vlad is also hiding something. And that secret could get both of them killed.
Byron is psyched when his older brother Jesse invites him on a weekend caving trip—even if it means spending time with Cole, Jesse's obnoxious college roommate. With Jesse's girlfriend Michelle rounding out the group, Byron is sure the excursion will be a success. Things get tense when they near the cave, only to find that the way in is blocked. Byron stumbles on the entrance to a new cave, but the thrill of his discovery is overshadowed by Cole's increasingly strange behavior. Exploring a wild cave is always dangerous, but it becomes deadly as tempers fray and the water level inside the cave starts to rise. When an underground confrontation leaves his brother seriously injured, Byron has to make some life-or-death decisions—and every second counts.
Katie and Rusty are heading East. Fresh from their thrilling adventures in Alberta, facing down devious developers, the cousins have made their way to Aunt Margaret's farm in Saskatchewan. After rescuing her aunt when she is trapped under a piece of farm equipment and learning of other acts of possible sabotage, Katie decides that she has found another mystery to solve. Puzzled by the changes they notice in their cousin Megan, and alarmed by a series of threatening phone calls, Katie and Rusty embark on another adventure. With no shortage of suspects—from Cousin Megan to the jilted boyfriend and the controlling farmhand—the two detectives find themselves in deeper than they thought and are soon in real danger.
