Spending Christmas holidays in the wilderness with his ex-con aunt Mag is not Evan's idea of a good time. What's worse is that everyone he meets-even his new friend Cedar-is making a big deal about a loon that is hanging around on the lake. Why should Evan care about a dumb bird? When he discovers that the loon will die without help, he realizes he does care, but rescuing the wild bird turns out to be whole lot harder, and more dangerous, than he expected.
Sam Stringbini, the youngest son in a family of circus performers, is living every kid's dream, except for the fact that he is no good on the high wire, trapezes freak him out and magic mystifies him. When the Triple Top Circus is threatened by repeated acts of sabotage, Sam is the number one suspect. To clear his name, Sam enlists the help of his cousin, Harriet, and discovers that, while he may never be a sword-swallower or a lion-tamer, he just might be able to save the circus.
It's summertime and hoops season is over, but that doesn't keep Nick and Kia off the court. One very hot day they head to the rec center for a swim but end up on the outdoor courts that are usually dominated by older players. Their enjoyment of the court is short-lived, however, when three teens show up and kick the kids and their ball off the court. Nick and Kia don't take well to being bullied, but there's nothing they can do about it. At least not until they run into Jerome "Junk Yard Dog" Williams at a mall promotional event, and Kia enlists the NBA star's help in proving that she and Nick do indeed belong on the same court as the older players. Eric Walters has teamed up with NBA fan-favorite and former Toronto Raptor and current New York Knick Jerome "Junk Yard Dog" Williams for the eighth installment of this best-selling basketball series. Jerome's royalties will help support the JYD Project, which is run by his brother, Johnnie Williams. The JYD Project's goal is to reach more than half a million Canadian and American students over a five-year period with their inspirational message. Book 8 in the series.
Nick, Kia and their Mississauga Magic teammates are on the road, heading off to an elite hoop tournament in the Midwest. Feeling outmatched by many of the high profile teams, the kids are still looking forward to a good time. However, Coach Barkley, who played college ball in the area and is still regarded as a hero, has other ideas. As usual, nothing but winning will be good enough for Coach. As the tournament progresses, the Magic players learn to believe in themselves and come to realize that they can hold their own against the opposing teams. And then, just as the team seems to have a shot at making the finals, the eligibility of one of their players is questioned and they face disqualification. Will the team spirit the road trip has instilled be strong enough to get the kids over this hurdle? Book 5 in the series.
Jaz lives in the small northern community of Destiny and is a new member of the Junior Canadian Rangers. Her divorced parents argue a lot, and Jaz hopes if she wins a dog-mushing derby, they will be so proud of her they will stop arguing. But the derby would be a lot more fun if she wasn't paired with Colly, an older boy who is a more experienced JCR. On the derby trail all Jaz's newfound skills, her will to survive and her ability to get along with Colly, are put to a life-and-death test.
Max is horrified when he sees Sam Black, a new neighbor, strike a boy who is in his charge, but Max still shouts, "Thief," and tries to catch the boy when he sees him steal from the General Store in The Landings. When the abused boy runs away and takes refuge in Max's secret fort in the woods, Max must decide where his loyalties lie. In the fourth volume of her historical series set in Upper Canada in the 1830s, Becky Citra tackles the serious subject of abuse while staying true to her characters and telling a gripping story.
Martha knows she is adopted, but she's well-loved and popular, at least until her mother gets pregnant and she feels her parents' attention start to shift. Upset and confused, Martha lashes out at and loses her friends. She also makes no secret about her annoyance at being forced to do a school project about sturgeon with Chance, a difficult boy whose foster parents are family friends. To add insult to injury, Martha's birth mother announces that she is getting married and moving away. Now Martha isn't number one in anybody's life. When her mom goes into labor prematurely, Martha realizes that she needs to figure out a way to be a better friend and daughter, and a great sister.
When Nick and Kia arrive for try-outs for the basketball team they played on the previous year, they are surprised to learn that their coach is retiring. The surprises continue when the new coach is introduced. Coach Barkley, a former college star known for his fierce desire to win, missed out on a pro career due to a serious injury. Though the coach has been away from the game for many years, his competitive instincts are as strong as ever and his aggressive coaching techniques are a new experience for these kids. Practices are long and hard and not nearly as much fun as they used to be. Suddenly making the rep team no longer seems the sure thing that Nick and Kia expected when they came to try-outs. The new coach expects near perfection from the youngsters and does not deal well with anything less. This is hard on Nick and Kia, but especially difficult for the coach's son, L.B., who is also trying out for the team.When the coach matches them up against a team of older players and then refuses to accept their loss, the kids begin to wonder if they even want to make this team. Nick, Kia and L.B. finally have to decide whether to play for a tyrant or to take a stand on principle and face the consequences. Book 4 in the series.
When Nick and his pals suddenly find themselves short a man for the NBA-sponsored three-on-three tournament they plan to enter during the summer holidays, the solution seems simple enough. Nick, Kia and Mark are the key players on the team, so the fourth, though mandatory according to the rules, doesn't really have to be good at the game. A surprise visit from Nick's mother's cousin brings Ned, who is exactly Nick's age but not exactly an athlete, into the picture and onto the team. Nick and Ned, though related, are about as different as two boys born on the same day can be. And they don't get along. Nick cares mostly about sports and basketball is his passion. Ned is crazy about bugs and lives out West in a national park, three hours' drive from the nearest basketball court. The other three teammates figure that as long as they don't actually have to use Ned in a game they will be fine. Then Mark sprains his ankle and can't play in the tournament. Suddenly Nick and Kia must find a way to make Ned an integral part of the team. This turns out to be no small task!
After almost drowning in a swollen creek, Wes wonders if what his friend Zach says is true: Wes owes a life debt to the old lady who rescued him. It doesn't help that Wes keeps hearing his dead father's voice saying things like, "A man pays his debts, Wes," and "A man always treats a woman with respect, Wes." But how does a guy go about paying back a life debt anyway? And what if it involves a transmission tower, an ice-cream truck and a few sticks of dynamite?
When Molly learns a talent competition is coming to town, her friend Murphy (A Different Game, Murphy and Mousetrap) becomes her manager. Molly is certain she is a good singershe has been singing in her head for as long as she can remember. She doesn't sing out loud because of a promise she made to herself. Years ago, Molly vowed that her mom would be the first one to hear her sing. The only problem is, Molly knows nothing about her mom, who left when Molly was a baby. With the talent competition only weeks away, she has to decide whether to break her promise to herself and let her voice out into the world, or wait for her mother's uncertain return before singing for anyone else.
Life is hard enough for Tansy with her depressed mom away indefinitely and her dad making a mess of things at home. But then Dad sends her down the hall to a wrinkly old babysitter named Miss Stella, who Tansy hates on sight. Miss Stella has a unique perspective on life, to say the least, but with the help of her best friend Parveen, Tansy gradually learns to manage all the changes in her life and make unexpected new friends in the process.
Eleven-year-old Jake Reynolds wants to save seal pups from the talons of bald eagles, protect his little sister Sierra and confront the wolf he is sure stalks Hidalgo Island. But his best friend Emily calls him a chicken, comforts Sierra when she falls and doesn't believe the wolf exists. Even as Jake hears howling in the night, part of him hopes Emily is right; he may dream of being a hero, but he is terrified by the thought of running into a wolf. When Jake leads Emily into the woods in search of adventure, he finds more than he bargained for—and discovers things about himself that he never knew existed.
Essays are a big part of schoolwork. They can be found in newspapers, books, and magazines. There are several types of essays but when you write to give information and facts about a specific topic, its writing an informational essay. This book will give you all the tips on staying organized, how to perform your research, and explain the topic or process clearly for your readers. Tips on sequencing, cause and effect, and comparing and contrasting are given to ensure your next informational essay is a winner! This book will allow students to refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
There are certain steps you can take when writing a research paper that will make the finished product a lot easier! Many people, such as scientists and business people use research skills to make products better or more useful, and to teach others how to do their jobs more efficiently and effectively. Picking a topic, gathering and organizing your information, and putting it all together are discussed in this title. By following these steps, you are guaranteed to get an A on your next research paper! This book allows students to determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.
Writing an opinion paper isn't writing about factual information, but writing about what your opinion on a topic is. The challenge is to appeal to other peoples feelings and emotions, while leaving yours out. This type of paper can be more challenging than you think. Organizing your thoughts, writing a list of reasons that support your opinion, and which reasons can be proven with facts and which are simply how you feel. Learn how to frame your paragraphs, formatting, and transition words that help you make your opinion clear and persuasive! This book will allow students to ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
Have you ever been assigned a science project at school? It can be a little overwhelming. But, if you follow a few simple guidelines, it will make it an enjoyable experience. Think about something you wonder about. That is a good start. After picking your topic, conduct research by using the Internet or library, talk to experts about the topic you've chosen, form a hypothesis, test it and write down your observations, and form a conclusion based on them. Record all your information and present your prize-winning project to your class! This book will allow students to explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
Studying for a test can be a daunting task. Some people wait until the last minute while others are organized and prepared when the time comes. Good study habits are all about paying attention in class, taking good notes, finding a quiet place where you can concentrate, and planning ahead! Learn how to reduce anxiety before a test by following a few simple rules that will help you to ace your next big test. This book will allow students to determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.
Want to be more successful in school? This book will help you achieve this by using two important strategies that can help you understand what you are learning: note taking and close reading. With simple steps on how to stay organized for that upcoming quiz or project, readers will be able to tackle new ideas or challenging topics. This book is filled with great ideas on how to use these two strategies to ensure you ace your next test! This book will allow students to determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.
What is one of the first things you think of when your teacher assigns a big project? Its probably how you will gather all the information you need to get a good grade! The first two places to look are the library and the Internet. This book teaches you how to organize your ideas, where to begin your research in the library by using the cataloging system, to library etiquette, and finally how to use the Internet in a safe, effective way that will give you the fastest, best resources for you assignment. This book will allow students to determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.
When it comes to a group project, the key word is teamwork! When each member of your team is assigned a different job, it allows you to learn from others and develop skills that will benefit you in the working world. Working with others can be challenging and fun, and it can teach you how to address and resolve conflicts that may come up during your project. Make sure your next group project is a success with all the tools you will need! This book will allow students to determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.
A beginner reader. Snail's team has fallen behind in the final game, but slow as he is, he shows up just in time to save the day.
Confident that her scrapbook will win first prize, Madison is upset when Jonathan wins instead. With consolation from her parents and Courage, her toy lion, she does the right thing and congratulates Jonathan on his success.
Everyone loved Sam and took care of him when he was a kitten, but now that he has grown and comes looking for attention all they do is feed him. So Sam gets fatter and fatter until Mother takes charge. This book teaches an important lesson about caring for pets.
A beginner reader. Cat is terrified of taking his first parachute jump, but with Hippo's reassurance, he goes for it.
