Trevor has known since he was ten years old that he has Huntington's disease, but at sixteen he is informed that he has one year to live. One day while he's trying to figure stuff out, an old man named Plank finds him standing at a cliff by the ocean. It's the beginning of an odd but intriguing relationship. Both Trevor and Plank decide to live by Plank's Law, which is "just live." This means Trevor has to act on the things on his bucket list, like hanging out with real penguins, star in a science fiction movie and actually talk to Sara—the girl at the hospital who smiles at him. With the aid of Plank and Sara, Trevor revises his bucket list to include more important things and takes charge of his illness and his life.
Jennie has been a widow for two years. Her twelve-year-old son thinks it's about time she started dating, and so does her best friend, Angela. So with Angela's help, Jennie signs up to an online dating site. Within hours, she has several dates lined up for the week. Surely there will be one Prince Charming in the bunch. And if not, it's only one date, right? How bad could it be?
Even if Kenzie's dog had somehow managed to escape from the family's fenced backyard, Kenzie knows the big, lovable chocolate Lab wouldn't have gone far. As they search for Clancy, Kenzie and his dad keep hearing stories about other dogs that have gone missing too. When Kenzie finds Clancy's ID tag and spots a van loaded up with dog food, he knows he has to investigate further. With the help of a schoolmate whose dog has also disappeared, Kenzie uncovers an illegal operation that grabs dogs off the street and turns them into bloodthirsty killers.
This is the second story featuring Rob and Adam Maclean after Coming Clean Rob Maclean and his mom have moved to a small community in northern Ontario in order to be closer to Rob's imprisoned brother, Adam. One night after a rowdy party, Rob and some friends end up in a van speeding through a First Nations reserve. The driver of the van has a deep hatred for Indigenous people, and he lobs rotten fruit at a group of young men gathered in front of a community center. The young men chase them down, and Rob's friend Alan is injured and ends up in a coma. Now the police are pressuring Rob to identify their prime suspect.
Jason is sure his sister, Becca, was murdered, but he’s the only one who thinks so. After finding a photograph Becca kept hidden, he decides to infiltrate a boxing gym to prove that she didn’t die accidentally. As a transgender kid, Jason’s been fighting for as long as he can remember, and those skills are going to come in handy as he investigates. Quickly invited into the inner circle, Jason must balance newfound friendships with the burning hate that drives him. Jason soon feels torn between two worlds, determined to discover what happened to his sister but struggling with the fact that this is the first time he’s ever felt like he belonged somewhere.
To honor the death of her best friend, teen Sienna signs up to do a triathlon and finds a connection with an unexpected training partner in this body-positive romance exploring first love, grief, perseverance and trusting in yourself. Five months ago, Sienna Shoring lost her best friend, Stacey, to suicide. Now Sienna's back at school, struggling—and failing—to find her new place in the social hierarchy. Awkward and alone, Sienna is still dealing with her grief. When a package arrives for the “Try It Triathlon,” which Stacey signed them up for as a joke, it’s like receiving a message from the grave. Sienna has no experience with running or biking. And she doesn’t even own a swimsuit. But she decides to take on the challenge in honor of her best friend, despite being a “fat girl.” And when mysterious jock Blake Romano approaches her unexpectedly and offers to train with her, she can hardly say no. He seems to understand her in a way no one else does. But Blake has a secret that might just break Sienna’s heart, even as he’s winning it.
When all technology breaks down and he’s far from home, thirteen-year-old Jamie learns he’s stronger (and braver) than he thought he was in this dystopian adventure. Thirteen-year-old Jamie’s plane is just taking off when something goes terribly wrong. The lights go out, communications halts and the engine stops. After a bumpy landing, Jamie realizes it’s not just his flight. All the other planes have been grounded too. And every car on the road has stopped in its tracks. And no one’s cell phone is working. Technology has shut down, and no one knows why. Soon, it becomes clear that this disaster is anything but local, and people begin to panic. Jamie is now stranded 1,200 miles away from home and the world is in chaos. With the help of the plane's flight crew, a group of fellow passengers and a rescued dog named Godzilla, Jamie must make the long, perilous journey home.
Transgender teen Ichiro enters a drag contest in hopes of earning enough money to live off the grid. Ichiro is a transgender youth in his final year of high school. He has a job as a dishwasher to earn money to help support his single mother. But it's not enough. Ichiro dreams of buying a camper van for the two of them so they can escape and live off the grid and not have to worry about money anymore. A budding drag queen, he takes a second job performing drag at a local club and learns of an upcoming contest where the prize money would be enough to pay for a camper van. But nobody knows he does drag. So when some of his friends find out what he’s really doing in the evenings, Ichiro is worried about what they will think of him. Will they still accept him?
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.
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?
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?
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.
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.
It lurks in deep water. Soon it could rise to the surface. No, it's not a sea creature but a surfer’s dream. This is the ultimate wave. For thousands of years, and all across the globe, surfers have enjoyed the thrills and survived the spills of catching waves.
A baseball fan sues after being hit by a hot dog. When a pro football team leaves in the middle of the night, a city takes the team to court. Salary negotiations for a top player take weeks. What do these examples have in common? The answer is sports law. Behind every thrilling sport are laws that protect those on and off the field and lawyers who ensure deals get done.
As a child, Lewis Hamilton showed passion and skill for racing. Despite facing racism and other challenges, he wouldn’t let anything stand in the way of his dream of becoming a Formula One driver. Several World Championships later, he continues to live his dream and works to pave the way for more diversity in the sport and inclusivity in life.
Celebrities spend fortunes on pictures of unamused primates. People buy homes they’ll never live in. An artist sells a single pixel for millions. These situations may sound outrageous, but they are all part of a story. Welcome to the digital universe of NFTs. From cryptocurrencies to life in the metaverse, NFTs are taking the world on a wild ride.
In just minutes, Superman saves a falling skyscraper, a volcano erupts, and a T. rex struts across a football field. It seems almost anything is possible during a marching band performance. Players and band directors spend hours preparing for these energetic shows. Every move is refined, and each note is pitch perfect. All the hard work comes together for an iconic performance.
Growing up in Pakistan, Malala Yousafzai’s life was turned upside down by the Taliban. It forbade girls her age from going to school, but Malala refused to accept this. Speaking out nearly cost the young activist her life. Still, she didn’t give up. Today, Malala continues to fight for a free, safe education for all girls around the world.
Understanding Christianity covers the history of Christianity and how the religion has evolved and expanded. Readers learn about its branches, church services, and world contributions. This title also discusses challenges that have arisen as Christians interact with people of other faiths. Features include a glossary, references, websites, source notes, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Essential Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.
Jen Conrad has a life many dream of. She’s a popular model and comes from a famous Hollywood family, but soon, her life starts to crumble. Wrongfully accused of murder, Jen is hounded by reporters and tabloids. All she wants is peace and quiet. That’s what she hopes to find while staying at her grandmother’s beach house. Yet even there, danger lurks. Jen soon discovers that the people closest to her may be in trouble. Can she protect her family, or will she lose them and herself?
When Fay and her family move into a new house, strange occurrences start happening all around them. Convinced the house is haunted, Fay wonders if the creepy room in the basement holds the answers. Adding to the mystery is the shadowy figure who keeps watching her. Fay is determined to figure out who it is. Then she can focus on making new friends and playing basketball. That’s hard to do when random items keep going missing from the house. Is an intruder to blame? Or is it something other-worldly? As she works to uncover the secrets around her, Fay learns more about herself and true friendship than she ever imagined possible.
After a difficult childhood, Chris Gardner promised he would be a good father. He also vowed to become successful. When he found himself homeless as a single dad, Gardner didn’t give up. Instead, the Navy veteran put all his energy into becoming a stockbroker and building a happy life. Today Gardner inspires people to keep reaching for their dreams.
