Akil once loved playing basketball. But for the last two years, his heart hasn't been in the game. When an old friend shows up, she reignites his passion for hoops. Will Akil play it safe, or get back on the court?
Victor Flores is a natural born runner, but his struggles with bullying throw him off track. Then a surprising opportunity presents itself. Does Victor have the strength and self-confidence to get back into the race?
Angel "Wings" Alvarez is a baseball star. But an injury caused by a good friend forces him off the field. Can Angel find a way to forgive his friend? Will Angel ever play ball again?
Terrance Wright is struggling. Between being bullied and having a hard time with his schoolwork, Terrance is feeling low. But when he's asked to join the football team, his outlook begins to brighten. Will this opportunity give Terrance the confidence to make some changes in life?
Jordy "Dunk" Duncan hails from a family of star basketball players. After being cut from the team, Jordy secretly finds a passion in a different sport - one that comes with new risks. Will Jordy find the courage to tell his family the truth? How will they react to his newfound interest?
Corey Thompson is a smart, talented basketball player. When his former mentor lets him down, Corey leaves the game behind. Encouraged by a friend, he tries a new sport. But will a danger from his past ruin Corey's future?
All summer, Hugo had practiced at the batting cages. He can't wait for practice to start at school. But he's shaken when he learns his best friend, Eli, won't be playing. Does Hugo have the confidence to make it through the season alone? Will wanting to fit in change him?
Micah Sharp isn't thrilled to be the new student at school. But the chance to make better decisions and sharpen his basketball skills keeps him focused. Will Micah manage to stay out of trouble this time? Has he really escaped his past mistakes?
Jay Reed is headed down the wrong path. The teen often skips school to hang out with his troublemaking friends. Concerned, Jay's mom sends him to live with his strict Uncle Ron in the city. There, Jay takes up soccer, and learns about teamwork, grit, and making good choices in life.
Ruben's life changes after the unexpected death of his older brother. Without his brother's protection, Ruben is bullied. Will the encouragement of a mentor and the support of a coach help Ruben face his fears?
After moving into a dank and drafty basement suite in West Edmonton with her truck-driving father, nasty stepmother and taciturn twin brother, Ash, seventeen-year-old Greta doesn't have high expectations for her last year of high school. When she blacks out at a party and is told the next day that she's had sex, she thinks things can't get any worse. She's wrong.
Cookie is about to lose her job at the local bakery. She dreams of owning her own bakery but doesn't think she has the skills or money to do it. Most of all, she doesn't have the self-confidence. When she takes a course at the local college, she finds she has much more going for her than she imagined. With the help of her community, she figures out how to make sure no one has to go without her famous doily cookies for long!
A ghetto teenager struggles to find his mentor's killer and get his own life back on track. Passages Hi/Lo Novel.
Wakeman travels to gold-mining towns to find his father. He must find the courage to reveal the truth and seek justice for those who have been wronged. Passages to History Hi/Lo Novel.
Can a person be both sensitive to nature and brave at the same time? Richard learns the answer after he befriends poet Joyce Kilmer. Passages to History Hi/Lo Novel.
Greg's older sister, Hope, joins the army and goes to war, but then tradedy strikes. She is hit by a bomb and loses her leg. Greg anxiously awaits her coming home.
Drones are a lot of fun to pilot, but what happens when a teenage boy uses his drone to invade his sister's privacy?
A school bully disrupts a major test for one student, but he soon gets a taste of his own medicine.
Jair Nobles still remembers how great it felt. After he and Zander Peterson rescued two girls at a party that got out of hand, other students were full of admiration. Acceptance felt great. But the attention was short-lived. His old life hadn't been happy, but at least it felt familiar. Looking back, he could remember one bright moment. The night everyone thought he was a hero. He would do anything to feel like that again. Anything.
Capital Central High School students Marley and Hector want a better life beyond their northeast D.C. neighborhood. So they study hard, taking extra classes at Tech to get ahead. Book 4 in the Cap Central series continues to explore the broad challenges facing urban schools, including crime, poverty, and encroaching gentrification.
The student body of Dawson High study hard, date, root for the home team, hold down part-time jobs, succeed and fail, just like most American teenagers. It's time to elect a new class president. Cory and Eli quickly enter the race, although Jazz and Key aren't so sure that either of them would make a good president. After Jazz agrees to vote for his friend, Cory, he realizes he would like to run himself. Will Jazz turn out to be Cory's friend or foe?
The student body of Dawson High study hard, date, root for the home team, hold down part-time jobs, succeed and fail, just like most American teenagers. When opposing teams stay at the same motel, the coaches give the players strict rules to follow. Be polite and keep to yourselves. At first Rick appears to be cooperative, but Cole begins to question his actions. When Garrett goes missing, Rick acts strangely. What has he been up to?
Tyler and Mason dream of escaping to the big city and getting started on their lives. One night, Mason convinces Tyler to help him steal a car and they are soon having the adventure of a lifetime. Until they run out of gas. Stranded on the side of the highway, Mason blames Tyler, Tyler blames Mason and their argument turns physical. Their fight is broken up by a scruffy-looking guy who offers them a ride to the city. Eventually the teens realize their rescuer is none other than Sean Dakota, a heavy-metal musician who suddenly disappeared from the spotlight the previous year. Tyler is intrigued by this music legend, but Mason wants to take advantage of him. Listening to Sean and the lessons he’s learned from his own life choices, Tyler starts to realize how dangerous and damaging his friendship with Mason is. But will he find the courage to branch out on his own?
After his twin sister, Minnie, dies in an accident, Emmitt's world goes sideways. He’s lost his best friend and it feels like the family is falling apart without her. But Minnie was an organ donor and Emmitt soon receives an anonymous thank you letter from one of the transplant recipients. Inspiration strikes, and he decides to try and put his sister back together, in spirit. He’s going to track down each organ recipient and film them to show his parents the results of Minnie’s selfless act and help them move on. But when each recipient falls short of his expectations and the star of his film, the girl who received his sister’s heart, refuses to meet him, Emmitt has to turn to extreme measures to find her. What he doesn’t know is that his "heart sister" is hiding an agonizing secret, one that could push Emmitt to the breaking point.
Seventeen-year-old Jemma's older brother took her in when she needed to get away from her abusive ex-boyfriend, Razor. All Jemma wants now is to be a good mom to her baby daughter, Violet. But one night she needs to go out, just for a few minutes, to get diapers and ice cream. On her way back, she witnesses the drive-by shooting of a kid, Kwame, who lives in the same building. The driver is Razor. Jemma is terrified. If she tells anyone what she saw, they'll know she left her baby alone and she might lose custody. But if she doesn't, Kwame's killer will go free. Razor convinces Jemma to make a deal to save her life, but Jemma isn't sure she can live with the consequences.
