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.
Charlotte Summers is sure that summer camp is going to be a disaster. And she’s right. But it’s not as disastrous for her as it is for her counselor, Abby. Abby has no control over the girls in her charge. The control is held by the cabin’s mean girl. Charlotte realizes that she could tip the balance of power and unseat the bully, but does she have the courage to go for it?
It's the summer of Connor Trent's sixteenth birthday, and the stakes for him have never been so high. Connor's summer job at the Bytowne Tennis Club allows him to train at a historic facility. It also throws him into confrontation with his rich-kid rival, Rex Hunter, whom he will battle for a berth in the National Junior Tournament. After a series of fundraisers is sabotaged, Connor suspects that someone wants to bankrupt the club and take over its valuable riverfront property. A fabled trophy, rumored to contain hidden cash, might solve all of Connor's problems—if he can win it.
When Josh Ellroy, left-winger for the Kamloops Blazers, and his dad find more than a dozen dead cattle on the family ranch, Josh has some serious decisions to make. On one hand, the Western Hockey League playoffs are ahead, plus a chance to play in the National Hockey League. On the other hand, there's a beautiful and interesting girl who believes more prize bulls will be killed. Josh is afraid of what will happen if he gets involved. As he learns more, he's afraid of what will happen if he doesn't.
DJ is David McLean's eldest grandson, so it stands to reason that he be the one to scatter his beloved grandfather's ashes. At least that's how DJ sees it. He's always been the best at everything—sports, school, looking after his fatherless family—so climbing Kilimanjaro is just another thing he'll accomplish almost effortlessly. Or so he thinks, until he arrives in Tanzania and everything starts to go wrong. He's detained at immigration, he gets robbed, his climbing group includes an old lady and he gets stuck with the first ever female porter. Forced to go polepole (slowly), DJ finds out the hard way that youth, fitness level and drive have nothing to do with success on the mountain—or in life. DJ's adventures start in Jungle Land, part of The Seven Prequels and continue in Sleeper, part of The Seven Sequels.
Lindy has been working hard cleaning and doing odd jobs around the neighborhood to earn money for a trip to the Arctic. When Mrs. Naulty, an elderly client, mistakenly pays her a huge amount of money, Lindy keeps it to pay the early-bird rate for her trip. It’s only when a schoolmate learns what she did and starts blackmailing her that Lindy starts to suffer for her actions.
Del plays striker on his high school soccer team, the Cardinals, and they’ve gone almost three seasons undefeated. To Del, it’s just a game, but some of the players think winning is all that matters. When an ugly tackle results in a major loss for the Cardinals against their main rival, the Rebels, things get heated between the teams. That night, one of Del’s teammates has his ankle broken by an unknown assailant, leaving him unable to take part in the playoffs. As Del tries to figure out which of the Rebels’ players is responsible for the attack, his coach brings in a substitute player, and he’s actually really good. Is it just a coincidence, or did someone finally take the above all else mentality too far?
Sam Campbell's school team, the Laggan Lairds, always loses. When someone suggests that their name be the Laggan Lard Butts, Sam thinks the team should change its name. What is a Laird anyway? The basketball coach agrees, and soon the whole school is involved in an election for a new team name. Sam and his friends nominate the name Lard Butts. When the basketball team starts winning games after a warm-up cheer of "Go Lard Butts!" it seems the Lard Butt campaign might actually win the election.
Marta is an outsider at school. Partly because she chooses to be. With parents who were once farm workers, she was used to moving a lot. It was hard to make friends. Though now the family is settled, trouble seems to follow her. To escape, she draws. Her art teacher thinks she has a gift. He signs her up for a program in another city. As she leaves behind the drama back home, she encounters other places, people, and events that are just as dramatic and even dangerous. Her drawings seem to be responsible.
Marlon Moore is part of Walden Lane Middle School’s buddy program. The popular program helps new kids adapt to the school by pairing them up with a buddy. The buddy’s job is to help new students by introducing them to friends and showing them around the campus. Marlon takes his job seriously. New kid Robert seems like a cool guy and fits in well with Marlon’s crew. But Marlon learns quickly that Robert is a thief. First he steals some food from the local 7-Eleven. The boys think it’s a fluke. But then Robert steals from WowTech, a gaming and electronics store. He puts an old PSP into Marlon’s backpack, and he steals a high-tech smartphone for himself. Marlon wants to ghost his new buddy, but his sister, Ashley, convinces him that Robert is worth saving. Walden Lane is a quintessential small city. And these chapter books describe a typical American family, with busy schedules and the usual problems. The series explores suburban life in a fun way, with topics appropriate for younger readers. These gentle reads are innocent, hopeful, and sometimes funny, with no unsettling surprises or storylines. Each book is 5,000 words (approx.) and 10 chapters.
Someone has tagged the science building at Walden Lane High School. Ashley Moore is upset. School is supposed to be a safe place, and now she no longer feels safe. Students from the Key Club decide an act of community service is in order. The students organize and repaint the tagged wall during their lunch break and after school. They plan a fundraiser to pay for new glass for the painted windows. Kayla Flores agrees to paint after senior class president Alex Torres says he'll give her a signed program from Wicked. When Ashley gets the program from Alex's trunk, she finds cans of spray paint in the same color used to tag the school. Why would a star student on a full ride to USC wreck the school? Ashley is stunned and angry. After her confrontation with Alex, she questions her compassion and rigidity. Will Alex do the right thing? What, exactly, is the right thing to do? Walden Lane is a quintessential small city. And these chapter books describe a typical American family, with busy schedules and the usual problems. The series explores suburban life in a fun way, with topics appropriate for younger readers. These gentle reads are innocent, hopeful, and sometimes funny, with no unsettling surprises or storylines. Each book is 5,000 words (approx.) and 10 chapters.
Marlon and Steve are going camping with their dads in the rural mountain town of Dry Oak. To Marlon's disappointment, there is no cell service at the campsite. What will he do without his phone? Marlon and Steve are playing a new video game from the creator of Clan Castles, and it's rad. Now the online players will be ahead of him. Whatever! The trip is only for three days. Marlon helps with the tent. He goes fishing. The camp food is actually good. But he wants more adventure and excitement, so he convinces Steve to go on a night hike. There are no lights on their trail, and it's darn cold. The boys get more than they expect when they get lost. When they spy a house in the woods, all Marlon can think of is a horror movie. And he takes off when he hears a terrifying sound, thinking his buddy is right behind him. But Steve has gone into the house! Walden Lane is a quintessential small city. And these chapter books describe a typical American family, with busy schedules and the usual problems. The series explores suburban life in a fun way, with topics appropriate for younger readers. These gentle reads are innocent, hopeful, and sometimes funny, with no unsettling surprises or storylines. Each book is 5,000 words (approx.) and 10 chapters.
Since moving hundreds of miles to a new school, Daria has become increasingly dependent on her cell phone. Texts, Facebook and phone calls are her only connection to her friends in Calgary, and Daria needs to know everything that is going on at home to feel connected to her old life. Her cell phone habit looks a lot like addiction to her mother and to her new friend Cleo. Daria dismisses the idea of technology addiction as foolish until her habit puts a life in danger.
Seventeen-year-old Mark "Shark" Hewitt is good at playing pool. Really good. When he, his mom and sister move to a new town, Mark immediately seeks out the local pool hall. He loves to play, but even more than that, he just loves hanging out with the regulars. It reminds him of good times with his dad, who is no longer in the picture. When one of the patrons notices Mark's natural gift for the game, he forces Mark to use his talent for profit. Now Mark has to find a way to get out from under this sleazeball's thumb and protect his family.
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.
Fourteen-year-old Ava is thrilled when she lands a part in a play based on the true story of orphans sent to Canada in the 1800s to work on farms. But is she good enough to hold her own in a professional production? As the rehearsal pressures crank up, Ava struggles with her character, with the vocal demands of outdoor theater and with the annoying ego of her castmate Kiefer. But as she learns more about the historical Lily on which her part is based, things begin to fall into place. Then one bad decision jeopardizes Ava's chances of being able to perform on opening night.
People have been decorating their bodies for thousands of years. Get the facts about tattoos, body piercing, and more. Then read "Death by Arsenic," a story about what happens when you start believing the ads.
Describes some of the greatest moments in the history of the Olympic games, including record-breaking performances, unexpected victories, and inspirational performances by athletes struggling against difficult odds.
Recounts the struggles and triumphs of nine athletes who have battled illness, accidents, and other disasters on their way to success in their sports, including Lance Armstrong, Gail Devers, and Babe Didrikson Zaharias.
Meet eight of the greatest teams in sports history--some underdogs, some powerhouses--all working together to win.
This forward-looking book explores a unique field of entrepreneurship, in which innovative individuals directly address, or work toward addressing, environmental challenges in our world. Offering an important look at the ways entrepreneurship can tackle global issues, this title engages readers through real-world examples, discussion prompts, and critical thinking questions. The title encourages readers to recognize and take on the skills and mindset needed to achieve success as an environmental entrepreneur.
Go ahead, buy it. You know you want it.…How susceptible are you to tactics of subtle encouragement or even outright manipulation used by media and advertising? Power and Persuasion in Media and Advertising is a critical introduction to how marketing and advertising works to convince consumers to buy products or believe in certain ideas. Readers will learn about persuasion, credible marketing, and how their tastes and opinions are targeted and shaped from an early age.
From email and twitter to blogs and wikis, readers are encouraged to be safe, positive, and mindful contributors in the digital environment. Readers will learn how to choose the appropriate digital tools to communicate for various purposes.
Twelve-year-old movie-loving Maisie is in need of a distraction from her current romantic dilemma when her Uncle Walt comes to stay with her family after being hurt on the set of the movie he's filming in Hollywood. Maisie's best friend, Cyrus, has been hanging out a lot with Gary Hackett, whose last-name sounds to Maisie like a cat barfing up a hairball. When it seems as if Hackett might like Maisie romantically, she's none too pleased, and Cyrus is even less impressed. Uncle Walt has a way of pointing Maisie in the right direction, and Maisie's love of movies also keeps her centered. Heading to the local independent theater on Saturdays to see old movies helps Maisie stay grounded as she struggles with growing up, family tensions, a grandma who seems to be losing her memory, and a love triangle she never expected.
An action-packed, contemporary novel about surviving in the wilderness. Thirteen-year-old Karma is desperate to become a certified falconer. At her dad's bird education center, she helps give demonstrations to guests and can fly the birds. But when her favorite rescued falcon, Stark, hurts Karma, her parents insist that they return the bird to its previous owner -- in Canada. On the way to bring Stark back, a car accident in the middle of nowhere leaves Karma's dad trapped, and it's up to Karma to find a way to rescue him and her younger brother. When Karma loses her way trying to get help, she crosses paths with Cooper, a troubled teenaged boy. Lost for three days, the two figure out how to survive, and Karma teaches Stark to hunt like an actual bird of prey. Karma may be closer than she thinks to becoming a real falconer and having a real friend.
